


Overlord - a Tree of Roses

by CaptainN3mo1380



Category: Overlord - Maruyama Kugane & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, F/M, Gen, Prequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-02-27 13:03:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 46,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13248807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainN3mo1380/pseuds/CaptainN3mo1380
Summary: This is a prequel set 7 years before the events of the Overlord series written by Maruyama Kugane.  Arthris a 20-something gamer finds himself waking up in game world turned reality, and stuck in the body of his character.  This is his story.  **This is my first story.**Lost my editors so posting new chapters is rather slow.  Added changes to chapter 9.  Please be warned; Chapters 10, 11, & 12 are very dark.  Comments are welcomed, please.





	1. Tree of Roses

In the year 2131 there was a term: DMMO-RPG.

 

That word was an acronym for “Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game”.  These games were played by connecting a dedicated console to the brain via a neuronal interface — an intra-cerebral nano-computer network, created from the fusion of cyber- and nanotechnology.

 

These were games that allowed one to enter a virtual world and experience it as though it were real life.

 

And among the myriad DMMO-RPGs that thronged the market, one of them stood head and shoulders above the others:

 

YGGDRASIL

 

This game had been painstakingly developed and released internationally in 2126.

 

Compared to other DMMO-RPGs of the time, YGGDRASIL’s selling point was “player freedom”.

 

It had over two thousand basic and advanced job classes.

 

Every class had a maximum of fifteen levels, and so in order to reach the overall level cap of one hundred, one would need to take at least seven different classes. However, players could take as many classes as they wanted as long as they met each class’s prerequisites. A player could even take a hundred classes at level one each, although that was very inefficient. As such, in this system, it was virtually impossible to make identical characters unless one was deliberately trying to do so.

 

In addition, one could use various creator tools (sold separately) to fully customize one’s armor, weaponry, flavor text, appearance, and other cosmetic settings.

 

A vast playing field awaited its players. There were nine worlds in total: Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Nidavellir, Midgard, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Helheim, and Muspelheim.

 

It boasted a massive world, numerous classes, and freely customizable appearances.

 

These features ignited the creative spirits of its Japanese players, and sparked what would later be known as a stylistic revolution. So popular was it that whenever the word “DMMO-RPG” was mentioned in Japan, listeners would immediately think of YGGDRASIL.

 

—Still, all these were things of the past now.

_  
_

_**Chapter 1 - a Tree of Roses** _

_December 23 rd, 2131_

_The North America YGGDRASIL server was in the middle of its yearly Christmas holiday event, where those few players that logged in could get special gimmick item.  Player population during the holidays is usually low and it was a good time to take down them down and perform general maintenance and updates, without effecting the general population too much._

_Arthris was sitting in the central guildhall of the “Tree of Roses” Guild, or rather his character, Cassius Redtooth was sitting there.  “Tree of Roses” was RP PvE guild or Role Playing Player versus Environment Guild, as a rule “Tree of Roses” members did not attack or PvP other players.  The guild mandate was to help others, be it new players just starting out or established guilds.  “Tree of Roses” was noted as one of the largest guilds in the YGGDRASIL system, with 2500 active players, as well as one of the wealthiest.  But in terms of overall power they were considered rather weak, of the top ten guilds on the servers, they were tenth, and only just.  The problem was the vast majority of the guilds players were very low level.  Only Arthris and his council of nine Ancient Ones were level 100 and of them only Arthris had access to world level items._

_You see Arthris is a good guy, literally, in real life (IRL).  He is a classic example of a person born out of time, not to tall or to short, fat or thin, handsome or ugly.  In his eyes there is nothing special about him, he has good job, zero debt, and enough money to enjoy life even if it is in the virtual world.  It would be nearly impossible to pick him out in a crowd, but he has a very helpful attitude.  He is the kind of person everyone goes to for help regardless of the issue, because he won’t say no.  He greets everyone with a smile, and generally gives off an aura of friendliness.  But because of this behavior, many people take advantage of him, both in the professional world as well as the personal one.  And this is the reason why he is here, two days before Christmas, at 2am working on Guild finances and holiday gift packages._

_Every year at this time while many visit friends or family or players are hunting through the winter themed landscapes of YGGDRASIL.  The guild puts together a gift package, for its newer members.  Included; basic healing and mana potions, scrolls of teleportation, protection, & resistance, a randomly generated item (usually level 20), and an amount of gold, silver, and copper, total value is around 1000 gold each.  This is barely a drop in the bucket for the guild.  But it always makes him chuckle to think that the guild he oversees makes more gold than the combined GDP of some continents in IRL.  It is traditional that the guild hall is empty during the holidays, Cassius (Arthris) insists that players spend time in the real world with real people during the holidays.  A rule he, himself willfully ignores.  Arthris has no family to spend the holiday with, no close friends outside of the guild, has never been married, and has never even had a girlfriend.  YGGDRASIL was his life, or rather the life he wished he had.  And on this happy thought his alarm went off._

_“_ _It’s time, hello” “It’s time, hello”_ _shouting like a fey pixie given a bullhorn, jolted Cassius/Arthris out of his train of thought.  “Well, it is getting late” he said to himself as he closed the accounts and got up.  He had twenty minute to get back to his chambers before the polymorph effect wore off.  Cassius is an odd character even in a MMORPG of nearly limitless scale and depth such as YGGDRASIL.  Whereas most players’ min/max their characters for optimal game play, job levels mixed with racial levels, blended for the greatest advantage possible.  Arthris built Cass with a singular goal in mind, defense.  And as such he created one of the most powerful tanks in the game, but with that goal in mind sacrifices had to be made._

_Arthris had chosen a singular arc of racial levels; each related level emphasized natural and magical defense as well as natural attack abilities and spell-like abilities and he had taken them to the maximum level.  But because of this his job levels were limited and less diverse then other players.  On top on all this his racial class had several massive weaknesses.  First, it was very difficult to level up.  Starting out very weak compared to other races, it was expensive and time consuming, most players that start usually quit halfway or starts over with something easier.  Secondly, despite having high Magic Points (MP), as well as a high Magical Attack ability, the character could not cast either arcane or divine magical spells.  That being said, the racial spell-like abilities where just that, abilities that mimic the effects of actual spell magic, but where as a wizard or a cleric would have a plethora of spells from various tiers to choose from.  All of Cassius’s spell-like abilities were based on combined character levels, through a limited battery of defensive and support abilities.  His third and final weakness was that Cassius’s racial levels lived on mana or MP, that is to say he actually consumed it, and he could gain sustenance from eating magical items, mana or health potions, even spell magic cast against him, as long as it did not breach his magical defense rating._

_The trade off for all this was unparalleled defenses and HP combined with massive physical attack ability.  That, and in his natural un-polymorphic state, he was an eighty foot long ancient red dragon with a wingspan just over a hundred feet.  That’s right, more on the scale of a raid boss or world-class monster, Cass was the product of a singular goal.  And with less than twenty minutes left before his polymorphic (Humanoid) ability runs out, he had to get back to his chambers on floor eight, or he would be stuck down here in the barracks for the entire cool down period._

_The guild fortress of “Tree of Roses” was a complicated structure.  Arthris as well as his council of Ancient Ones had limited their construction efforts towards functionality over aesthetic, save for the overall creation of NPC’s that routinely interact with players or act as a defensive force for the fortress.  As members climbed in ranks within the guild they were granted access to the higher levels of the fortress.  In YGGDRASIL, “Tree of Roses” was located within the snow capped mountains that straddle the boarders between_ Svartalfheim and Alfheim, in a region styled very much like the Tibetan Himalayas.

At the foot of the mountain was a large series of external fortifications with basic players’ shops & structures.  This region was the province of OrChImEdEs360 and SoftandCute17, IRL a pair of fraternal twins.  OrChImEdEs360 in the real world was a History Major with a flair for medieval castles.  As such the outer walls, parapets, barbican, and gate houses looked like something straight out of legend.  Inside these walls, OrChImEdEs360 had placed blacksmith shops, to repair players gear as well as supply common items and ammunition.  There were bakeries and restaurants where players could purchase restorative food items that recovered a portion of health as well as granted a short term stat bump.  There was even a stable where players could purchase mounts or choose to breed a stronger mount.  Item prices were scaled depending on character levels, but gold costs were intentionally kept low for easier access to new players and all profits went to the guild bank.

On the other side of the team was SoftandCute17, an IRL Theater Major, who took it upon herself to create a fully flushed out village to compliment her brother’s creation.  Just under a hundred medieval homes populated the space within the outer walls, each and every NPC that worked in her brothers shops or craft halls, had a place of residence, with family unit, sometimes including children even, she wrote complex background and interaction routines for each one, there was even a chapel with a healing cleric and resurrection services, a schoolhouse for the NPC children complete with a illithid teacher dressed as a old style schoolmarm.  Arthris had once asked her why she would build such an elaborate setting.  She responded that it was a logical extension of her childhood adventures with her imaginary friends.  Combined with all this, SoftandCute17 and OrChImEdEs360 also designed and built the guilds first line of defense.  In YGGDRASIL guilds had the ability to garrison their fortresses with pop-monsters.  By spending in-game currency, gold, a guild could have any many of or type of creature they wanted.  Pop-monsters gained their name from their ability to respawn after a period of time had passed.  Once purchased guild leaders could order them around and task them with specific duties, like _manning the walls, gates, and patrolled the city.  Specific to the Tree of Roses guild was a pop-monster called the Golden Legionnaire.  A mid-level full plated warrior, equipped with a sword and shield, a halberd, or a longbow with arrows.  There were four floor guardians or generals in charge of defense of the first floor, thou_ OrChImEdEs360 built the stat and combat profiles for level 90 Battle Knights, SoftandCute17 built their personalized settings and background stories and in a jab at her brothers work, she named them; Patience, Liberty, Cure-all, and Shmorgishborg.

Entering through the Keep, guild members were confronted by a vast network of tunnels that lead deeper into the guts of the mountain fortress.  The second floor was simply known as “The Mine”, and serves two purposes, as a training ground and as a harvest zone.  Originally “The Mine” was intended to be a place for new players to trained and improve their skills as a group or on their own.  With input from the guild as a whole, the mine is a convoluted maze of tunnels, blind corners, pits, and dead ends.  The tunnels are populated by pop-monsters and low grade trash mobs which are hostile towards everyone, guild members or otherwise.  Mixed in with the monsters are mining nodes for common and uncommon minerals and gem stones, used in item creation.  Mining nodes would re-spawn at a set rate depending on the rarity level of the mineral.  This mechanic was allowed on the servers, at great cost to the players ($$$), while keeping the game balanced and fair.  At the end of the maze was the floor guardian, a Minotaur Axmen; named BumperThumper after his creator BigButtThumper69, the Minotaur was the only NPC that starts hostile towards guild members, only upon his defeat does he become friendly and allow passage to the upper floors, sort of a rite of passage within the guild.

The third and fourth floors were created with a combined function in mind, and since the guild is very proactive with recruitment of new players, these floors are in a constant state of expansion.  Stylized like an ever inclining avenue, under a starry night sky, it is essentially four massive player oriented structures.  Upon starting on this road players will see the Grand Meeting Hall, an amphitheatre which is large enough to accommodate the entire guild at once, it serves as both forum and meeting spot for adventuring groups.  Postings for guild-wide information announcements or polls, as well as want ads, Quests or Job postings could be found here.  Across the street is the Guild Barracks, a structure that is always under construction, when players reach this floor they are granted their own private quarters within the Barracks, to use as they see fit.  There are options available for crafting, entertainment, or decoration of their rooms.  The guild barracks serves as a safe location for players when logging in or out from the server.  Towards the top of the ramp are the Guild Bank & its neighbor the Auction House.  Much of the guilds assets are stored within the bank, as well as the assets of individual players, not only monetary wealth, but item storage above and beyond that of personal storage.  Next door is the Auction House, not a unique structure to the guild, the auction house is connected to all other auction houses within the YGGDRASIL server network, any player who has crafted or found an item of worth but does not wish to keep it, can choose to sell it at auction for possibly more money than a NPC shop would offer.  The guild reserves the right to charge a three percent gold tax on all transactions, which is automatically sent to the guild bank. 

All the NPC’s on these floors are very low level and basic in form and function.  Generally used for minor support or decorative functions.  Due to the high concentrations of guild members there are no floor guardians here.  This entire realm is run by four guild Ancients; ChinChinChilla01, Zinger1880, MotherBear, & DeathFromAbove111, their role is that of recruiters rather than administrators.  While very good at convincing new players to join the guild, their work in building these floors was very half-assed.  Despite this, the third and fourth floors are still the most actively used areas within the Tree of Roses.

As I briskly walk the road, all the NPC’s bowed to me.  As the guild leader they were required to greet me and speak their welcome message, after so many times I no longer paid attention, and continued onward.  At the next guild meeting I had every intention to institute a measure for a teleport system within the fortress.  As it was, getting around from one floor to another was time consuming and a pain in the ass.  It was all well and good for new members within the guild to see and learn what everything was, but after a while the whole process grew tiring.  But as I crossed the threshold onto floor five, I immediately concluded that with a teleport system in place I would no longer have a reason to fly over this floor.  Floor Five was the “Garden”, built by FlameONgirl996; this vast floor was a collection of flower gardens, deep woods, lakes, and ponds.  When Arthris had approved the construction and funds for this floor, FlameONgirl996 selling point was that it was intended to be all inclusive vacation resort, where players could relax without the grind of the game involved.  Yes there were white sand beaches, pools, saunas & spas, and it was presently sunny.  But in the long run most players came to spectator at the sight that was FlameONgirl996, once the floor was finished she spent most of her time here, prancing around in some barely there outfit with her retinue of equally scantily clad elf handmaidens.  I personally think she is a virtual-reality exhibitionist, and at the same time, after several years of chat conversions with her, I have begun to suspect that she is a he.  And that he is very young.  O well to each their own.   

Thankfully just after floor five there is “The Bypass”, the staircase to your immediate left leads to Floor Six, which contains the private apartments for the Guilds Ancient Ones and their retinues of manservant’s & maids.  Though seldom used by others this floor also contained a pool & spa relaxation feature.  For aesthetic purposes, and personal vanity customized quarters for each of the floor guardians is also located here.  The staircase to the right leads to floor seven and the Rookery, probably the most heavily guarded floor within the entirety of the Tree of Roses.  Contained within is the Great Library which stores many types of magical scrolls and tomes the guild has collected over the years.  The libraries central archivist allows a resource based option for players to purchase single shot items, as well as the means to craft more if needed.  Deeper within the floor is the Vault, this is where those of us at the top of the guild store our most powerful items or treasures, the guard dog is a classical seven-headed hydra named Mr. Wiggles (We voted for the name, I lost).  Back at the Bypass, where there should be a central staircase is a void instead.  Looking up, very far up, you can spot a large portal archway set into the mountain side. 

This is the entrance to the eighth floor, my personal floor.  Only those with the ability to fly either through natural form or magical spell can gain entry.  And with the polymorph effect just timing out, I leap into the air and slowly rise towards the doorway.  As I cross the threshold I enter into a busy office space that wouldn’t be out of place in New York City, neat rows of desks covered with paperwork and desk lamps are arranged throughout the room.  At each sits a beautiful office secretary, here is the Tree of Roses Diplomatic Corps, and each of these young women is a monster of the polymorphic Changeling race.  In order to protect the guild as a whole, I have created a series of treaties and alliances with every other guild in YGGDRASIL.  Each secretary here represents one of those guilds and acts as a go between and messenger.  Likewise each was created with the help of those other guilds, though they are the same race, each one has their own unique profile and settings.  Each secretary of the Corps is a level 100 NPC, built to the standards of my fellow guilds, but at the core they are utterly loyal to me and the Tree of Roses guild.

Passing from the office, I plod out onto an open air marble platform, Grecian columns spaced around the edges hold up a vaulted roof, in one corner I keep a pile of junk magical items, in the other is a elaborate fountain but rather than water, pure magical energy bubbles & pools.  Up here I can look out over the vista of the mountains and take in the open air, even launch myself into the sky if I so choose.  Entering from a side chamber come three exceedingly beautiful young women, Light Elves, officially they are called the Three Rose Princesses.  Unofficially I call them my three thorns, created by SoftandCute17, and gifted to me; they are to act as overseers of the NPC’s, as well as Guardians for the eighth floor.  Since SoftandCute17 wrote their background and settings, I have learned several things about them.  They are Annabelle (Anna), Rosaline (Rosa), & Jeanette, each of them competes with its sisters to outdo the other in their respective tasks, and they are all equally dangerous individuals, being a cleric, rogue, and ranger respectively.  And much to my detriment they appear to have amorous intentions towards my character Cassius Redtooth.  SoftandCute17 password locked their settings so not even I, the Guild Leader, could change them.

Just as I settle in and start crafting some minor magical healing and mana potions, a red warning message pops into being in front of me.

**_“GM Alert:  Server will be shutting down for maintenance and updates in five minutes and counting, normal activity will resume within 40 – 60 minutes, have a happy holiday.”_ **

Great that gives me just enough time to crank out a dozen or so potions before I have to log out, with Job levels in Master alchemist, I have and ability called [Create Masterwork Item - Potions], it does not have any daily limitations, and can be used many times as required as long as proper materials are present.  As I set to work creating potions for the holiday gift packages, at my leisure and as a form of multi-tasking, I begin to gnaw on a suit of armor that has (minor fortification) imbued into it.  Four and a half minutes later my tasks are done, carefully storing away both finished product and materials, I take up my customer starting pose on my platform, a personal conceit of mine is that dragons should look regal even if I am not logged in.  With less than ten seconds and counting before the server goes down, I pull up my interface panel to log out, when the strangest thing happens.  It is as if all of my perceptions blurred for a second, and then a powerful wave a nausea strikes me, and then darkness, and I remember no more.

**End Chapter 1**

 


	2. Thorn and the World Gone Mad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up to a new day.

**Chapter 2 – Thorns and the world gone mad**

My head is pounding, wave of blurred motion swim across my eyes.  I am going to be sick.  There is someone standing over me.  I can hear people talking around me but they’re words are muffled, as if my ears are full of water.  I feel so hot, every inch of me burns.  Something cool presses against my forehead, I try to mumble my thanks.  In that moment I remember a day from my childhood.  I had been to the beach with my parents and had fallen asleep in the sun.  I got sunburn, which is what I feel now.  It is as if all of my skin is burning and peeling away.  My limbs feel weak and heavy as I try to scratch at my flesh.  There is a burning sensation in my chest, and I had the feeling of something crawling up my throat, O God, what had happened, was I in a hospital, what is wrong with me…it hurts so much, then the darkness took me again.

I wake up with a jolt; I am sitting on a cold floor with my hands braced.  I am heaving, retching, vomiting.  It tastes like ash and burnt ham, my senses are painfully sharp, I can smell ozone and hot metal, and there is so much noise, so many voices so many people shouting, someone enter my field of vision.  She is familiar to me but I cannot place her.  She speaks but cannot understand her, but the tone is comforting, almost loving.  As she reaches out I feel something cold against my head, it feels good.  The soft spoken girl begins to hum a simple melody, and as my eyes droop.  Soon her song carries me into the darkness again. 

Blasted sun it is in my eyes, and it is very bright, go away sun I want to sleep.  I reach to pull the covers over my head, but there are none.  Slowly I start to move, mornings and me really don’t get along.  With a great big yawn I groan and try to push myself awake.  I feel better, my senses are clear and everything looks more defined, sharper?  This is odd in itself, I am nearly blind in IRL, I can’t feel my glasses on my face, was I in for eye surgery?  That can’t be right.  I am sitting in a white room looking out on the window at the sun and the fluffy white clouds, and I had the sensation that  I am experiencing tunnel vision, where are my glasses?  I hear soft footsteps behind me as someone approaches, just as I turn my head I feel a tickle, a wiggle in my nose, a quick little itch.  I know what is coming, my sneezes are legendary, and it is a family trait.  Good thing I am sitting so I won’t fall over.  I hesitate to hold my nose, as a child I nearly blew out my eardrums doing that, so I just wait.  1…2…3 Deep breaths, here it comes, in a rush of sound and violence I let loose, and a gigantic gout of flame surges from my mouth.  What the hell?  Now I’m awake.  I hear the shrill screams of people around me.  And in this single moment the world comes into focus.

I am in YGGDRASIL, on my platform, my thorns and my diplomats are standing around me, all share looks of anguish, despair, but slowly changing to bright smiles and looks of relief.  Why are they all looking at me? Wait a second did I just sneeze?  In-game?  How is that possible, is this a new feature, some sort of upgrade?  I’ll just check the Help Menu.  It should have all the updates listed.  Nothing happens.  I try again, still nothing.  Okay minor issue, nothing to worry about. [Message – ADMIN GM]I speak aloud, nothing happens, my voice sounds deeper almost a rumble.  No need to panic, bugs happen, someone else has to be online maybe in general chat?  There is no chat window, for that matter my entire heads up display is missing, no inventory, or quick select, status bars or mini map, all the icons are gone, damn it redoing my settings is going to take forever.  Someone speaks.  I am being addressed from behind.  It is a soft melodious voice like from a dream.

_“Ancient One, are you alright?  How do you feel?”_

It is one of my thorns, Rosa; I am being verbally addressed by an NPC.  How is this possible?

_“My lord, you called out to someone I do not recognize?  Are you well, are you feeling better?”_

How was I feeling; confused for starters, but my stomach was calm, and I was in no discomfort.  But how would she know I have been sick, that was in real life, wasn’t it?

**_“Rosa, I feel fine, confused, but fine.  I appear to be having interface problems.”_ **

_“I do not understand Ancient One.  We have been very concerned about you”_

_“Really, I am fine. What has happened?”_

Anna was the middle sister of the trio, breaks ranks and steps forward, as I turned my head to face her I noticed something odd, she looked more defined, it was like looking at a living breathing person.  This was so weird, slowly I moved closer to her, as if the closer I got I could see more detail.  As I approached her eyes grew wide.  I could see the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.  These were not the functions of a normal NPC.  I could even see the moisture on her tongue as she licked her lips before speaking.  And as she started to speak, I could smell her, I mean I could literally smell her.  Small hints of water and bath soap mixed with lilacs, beyond that I could smell/taste her emotional state, she was nervous.  As I paid closer attention to her, she flushed.  I could see the heat of her body as this happened, I tasted her nervousness, and it was bitter, like a bit of orange on the tip of the tongue.  This began to change to a flustered shyness, as did the taste.  How does a player taste emotions?  This is all impossible the sheer amount of computer power required to render this would be astronomical, and if this is happening to everyone on the server at once, it can’t be done.

_“My Lord, are you listening to me?  You look unfocused”_

**_“My apologies, you are very distracting this morning for some reason, please begin again”_ **

Her flush deepens and with shyness creeping into her voice she began again.

_“My Lord, three days ago you collapsed in your chambers, at the time I cast [Greater - Detect Poisons][Diagnose Disease] & [Status] on you.  With all my Cleric abilities I was able to determine that there was a foreign substance in your system, and you were running a high fever, we did our best to make you comfortable, and applied cooling compresses to your body to keep the fever down, but hauling water up from the kitchens was taking too long so I made the decision to use the water from your magical font of power in this room.  I hope my decision does not displease you.  Late in the night you managed to expel your last meal I think it was a suit of plate mail, you managed to regurgitate a considerable amount of liquid metal and charred leather.  We did our best to clean up, but the metal cooled quickly.  On the second day your condition showed improvement, though you spoke in your dreams in a language I am not familiar with, it sounded like the (Common) tongue of YGGDRASIL, but your accent made it impossible to make out what you said.”_

Deep Breath…

_“And today your fever broke early in the morning, it is now just after noon.  I am very happy you’re awake, Ancient One.”_

She was very happy, that was quite clear, it was broadcast across the entire spectrum of my senses.  But still, this had me thinking, how I could be sick here in YGGDRASIL, didn’t that all take place in the real world, my world.  Did it all really happen in-game?  Like a light bulb in my brain, I remembered the server message about the shutdown, nothing about this was making sense.  As Anna stepped back, Rosa came forward.  Of all of the thorns Rosa was my favorite, aesthetically speaking at least.  Being the shortest of the three and most petite in build she looked out of place next to her sisters, despite being in her mid-200’s, but as I focused upon her information flooded my brain.  She stood straighter than her sisters, and met my gaze with her own.  There was some mischief in those gray green eyes and a glint of something else.  Her gaze was enchanting.  She had such rigid control over her emotions; I sensed nothing like I did with Anna.  I could still smell her though, and what a radical difference there, no bath oils, or perfumes, she had a natural scent to her.  It was unexplainable.  It wasn’t that she smelled unpleasant, just different.  I must look like an absolute beast wit my nostrils flaring and my tongue out.  She was intoxicating. 

All three of them are wearing Grecian style robes, and each clearly looked like a princesses.  Despite being in her usual garb, her bare arms and legs show, there is hard muscle there, not the bulging mass from intense workouts at a gym, but more toned and shaped form from years of life in the wilderness.  With a deep sigh of contentment, my breath flutters the hem of her robe.  Her robe is just sheer enough that I can see a dark outline around her slim waist.  She is wearing a belt of leather, and there, at her back, sitting just above the curve of her buttocks, is a dagger.  The hilt is just at the curve of her spine.  Somehow this style of robe allows for her back to be bare.  I can see the individual muscles of her ribs and along her spine to her shoulder blades.  From nowhere I have the urge to run my tongue along that spine.  With a sudden pang of guilt I snap my mouth shut and pull my head back.  My examinations finished for the moment.  I return my focus to her, she has yet to speak, seemingly waiting for me to finish.  There was that sparkle in her eyes again, but I sense nothing from her except rigid control.

**_“You may begin.”_ **

With a calm, clear voice she begins.

_“Did you find anything amiss, my Lord, if so maybe we can have some alone time later, and you can examine me in more intimate detail.”_

My ears burn, did she just wink at me, wait a second, did she just make a pass at me?  W-what just happened?  Apparently the shock of this was clear on my face, as I had to pull my jaw off the floor, and stammer out a flustered retort.

**_“Aaaa Y-your report, Rosa, if you would continue please.”_** Smooth real smooth.

_“In the past three days, none of the other Ancients or any of your subordinates of the Tree of Roses has appeared.  But all NPC’s are accounted for at all the homes and shops throughout the fortress, all floor guardians report no unusual activity on their respective floors, other than the absence of Guild Members.  Even our ranks of trash mobs and pop-monsters are at full strength.  The only other thing of note are the mailboxes my Lord.  Baring the one on your floor all of the mailboxes have exploded under the pressure of the mail contained within.  From what we can tell it is as if every letter sent or received from every guild member was delivered at the same time, for the moment we are storing each person’s mail in their barracks rooms, those without rooms, are being stored on the fifth floor.  The mailboxes at the Auction house and the Bank have also refunded every item that was currently listed on the Auction block, and well as any pending payments.  That is all, my Lord.”_

Good lord, I had nearly a hundred high-grade potions on the auction block listed as single item sales.  What a mess, this was.

As she walked back to where her sisters stood, there was a very noticeable sway to her hips, I don’t remember that from YGGDRASIL?  Hmm, if looks could kill, this place would be a bloodbath, judging from the looks that her sisters where giving her. 

Jeanette was last, after a quick word between her sisters, whom even I could not make out, she approached slowly.  As with the others I scrutinized her intensely.  As the oldest, her features were the most refined; she walked with graceful measured steps, as if every single one was planned in advance.  She had poise and an aura of sophistication that neither of her sisters possessed.  She was also the tallest of the three, like her sister Rosa; she had a hard toned physical body, unlike her sister she smelled of sunflowers and fresh cut grass.  There was something else about her something predatory.  Instantly I felt on edge.  In that single moment something felt off, I did not like her.  I felt it the core, something about her was off.  Maybe I was wrong, I don’t like to judge people at first glance.  But there was something about her. 

_“Ancient One, with all the disturbing news my sister have given you I can only add to your troubles.  First the Fortress of the Tree of Roses is no longer where it is suppose to be.  Though the mountain range is very similar, and nothing has changed with the internal floors, from this vantage point we can see that we border a vast forest, and there appears to a road in the middle distance going east/west.  Just the other side of the forest we have observed smoke, possibly a village or small city.  Wherever we are it is very bright and the weather is quite calm.  The entrances to the outer walls, led out into the dark plains of Svartalfheim, and this is not Svartalfheim.  I can only compound this issue further, the Diplomatic Corps, has not been able to contact any of the other guilds, nor can we find them.  When our standard means of communication failed we took flight and traveled to their locations, at least where they should have been, nothing of the landscape here matches up with YGGDRASIL.”_

**_“Damn it how has this happened!!!  What in the seven hells is going on?!?”_**   I was yelling now, I reared up onto my hunches.  I wasn’t angry per se, more like pissed off at this information.  I was venting, this was a lot to take in all at once.

I didn’t mean to shout or show my rage, but this was bad, and I was slowly coming to a conclusion that was both terrifying and wondrous.  Jeanette squatted at my feet, cowering with terror.  Wait terror, why terror, sure I was mad but who wouldn’t be hearing all this.  Then it hits me, I am a red dragon, and a big one at that, standing I am over eighty feet and with my face less than a span from her, she is looking at a mouth full of teeth the length of her arm.  I calm myself immediately, pulling my wings close to my body, trying to make myself as small as possible.  I close my mouth as much as I can and still speak, then I gently nudge her in the chest with my nose, the motion is so natural I didn’t even consider it.

**_“I am sorry little one, I forgot myself for a moment there.  Please forgive me, dry your tears little princess, you have done nothing wrong.”_ **

My thinking was to hug her, it is a very human gesture to comfort someone, in this form that intention translated to me burying my nose in her navel and taking her weight, trying to raise her to an upright position.  Apparently she understood my intentions, for she adjusted herself on my scale plates, and then wrapped her arms around my nose.  At that moment I took a deep calming breath, and immediately something made my nose twitch, I could feel a sneeze coming deep within my sinuses.  With her still hugging my nose, I twitched and wiggled, frantically rubbing my tongue along the roof of my mouth to slow what was coming. (Old Family Remedy)  I could feel her giggles as she pressed against my nose, at least one of us was having fun, quickly and gently I set her down, then turned my head and let loose.  That got her attention.  She was a little wobbly and looked flustered, her breathing was rapid and ragged, like she had run a marathon.  She assured me she was fine and unsteadily walked back to her sisters.  Where before they all stared daggers at each other, now there was nothing but shocked looks of envy.  My mind raced with confusion, was a hug really that big of a deal, I nearly killed Jeanette twice just now, once through sheer terror and then again with my sneeze, women are so confusing.

**_“Ladies, take the Diplomatic Corps and yourselves, down to floor five.  Taking care of me for three days, had to be very stressful, relax and replenish yourselves.  I need time to process everything.  I will summon all of you in six hours time.  Please inform everyone that I do not wish to be disturbed until then.”_ **

In perfect unison they curtsied, well two curtsies and an unsteady wobble, and helped their sister out to the office where they were met with a cacophony of voices all asking questions at once, in short order they were gone.

My head was spinning, nothing made sense, but I had to do some tests.  First I slapped myself hard, I mean really hard, nope this was not a dream, and damn did that hurt.  So if this isn’t a dream, and we’re not in YGGDRASIL anymore, is this the real world now?  I could feel everything around me; I could smell everything in clearest detail, I was breathing, I could touch things, and objects had weight here.  Inside a small part of me was jumping with joy, but it was growing.

At that very moment I smelled it, something in here was driving my nose bonkers, I could feel a twinge forming, and I shut it down fast, blocking off my nasal passages like I was going to breathe fire, and started to breathing through my mouth.  I wasn’t going to sneeze now, dragons have a duel sense of smell, and using my tongue I could literally smell/taste the air around me.  There in the center of the room, there was a small puddle of liquid.  This was the origin point; this was where Jeanette had been cowering, had I in fact scared her so much that she had lost control of her bladder.  No wonder she was so flustered she was probably completely ashamed with herself.  I will have to try and make this up to her at some point in the future.  But at the same time my brain was processing this, more information was still incoming.  The scent did not smell/taste like urine, none of that chloride smell to it, plus my eyes were now able to perceive heat sources [Infra-Vision], while this puddle was cooling rapidly there was a heat trail following her path across the room and down the hall.  O how I have humiliated her and in front of her sisters no less.

Without even thinking I used a spell-like ability [Summon Elemental – Water].  And with a rush of knowledge everything that made me Cassius Redtooth flooded my mind.  All of my spell-like abilities were there, at a state of rest in my mind waiting for me to use.  I knew how to fly, and fight, and what materials to use for specific potions, I could wield a shield and sword in the middle of a battlefield.  I ordered the elemental to clean up this mess, and then moved off to the edge of the platform.  I have never flown in my IRL life, hell I’ve never even been on a plane.  But here I knew exactly how to hold my wings, or how much force it would take, or even how high I could go.  I had to leave, but to walk back into the fortress would force me to incinerate the entire floor, from sneezing.  So I leapt into the sky and fell, and as I was falling the only thing I was thinking was: “Am I allergic to Jeanette or all Elves.”  Depending on who populated this world that could be a problem?”

**End Chapter 2.**


	3. Discovery at the Edge

**Chapter 3 – Discovery at the Edge**

I flew for what seemed like forever, it was actually pretty easy.  With almost no effort I could spin or roll, climb or dive, it was like breathing, there was no thought involved.  While in flight I decided to test out my abilities, I found I could access my inventory with a simple act of will, although it looked as if my hand passed into a dark nothingness.  I was still wearing my all my items save for my armor, shield, and sword which were still in the vault.  This was all so surreal, but as I flew on, I started to accept this as my new reality, my new world.  I would have to explore extensively, concerns like food and water would have to be addressed, as well as other resources, ores for crafting, and herbs for potions.  The sheer logistical nightmare that was coming my way was daunting, but I will work on that later.  I am flying right now, and it is so relaxing, I wonder if I could fall asleep and still maintain flight, hmmm.  Gaining some altitude I found a very comfortable thermal layer within some puffy white clouds.  Gliding with my wings at full extension I finally started to relax. 

Time passed and I lost the thermal so I dove beneath the layer of clouds, and looked at the ground below me.  My vision at long distances was phenomenal.  In real life I couldn’t see my hand touching the tip of my nose if I was without my glasses.  Down there buried amongst the trees was a village, at least I think it was a village, it could be overgrown ruins maybe.  Now wait a moment, as I focused, there were people down there.  And they appear to be running away from the village.  The rational side of my brain told me; “Well if you saw a giant red dragon in the sky flying over your village you would run too.”  But then I noticed something odd, there was a clearing in the woods not far from the village, it was a rough circle about three hundred feet across, and a lot of people were gathering there in the center of the field, tightly packed together.  When avoiding a predator the prey doesn’t gather, they scatter, it increases the chance that at least some will survive. 

Curiosity overrode my common sense; I needed to investigate this, so I moved closer.  Yes, there was a loose ring of people around the tight packed mass in the center, what’s more I could see the glint of metal, they had armor, and weapons, but none of their clothing was uniform, so they were not a military unit, raiders’ maybe?  One from the outer circles approached the center mass of people, and started pulling people out and into a line; there was short lived resistance before they seemed to just give up.

As I dipped even lower, I saw it then, they were not raiders, they were slavers.  There are few things in the universe I hate more than the concept of slavery.  It is a detestable crime that only breeds hatred and resentment in future generations.  And with slavery comes other horrors, like rape, torture, and murder. 

I hit the ground with the force of a speeding freight train and it buckles under me.  My wings are out and a vicious snarl leaves my throat, it thunders across the clearing.  There is a thumping in my chest and heat radiates off of me.  Everything has gone red, in the language of dragons, I spit out my greeting.  No one understands me.  I did not expect anyone too, which surprises me even more when I see the look of recognition on a face in the crowd a young woman.  Naked terror covers her face, but she understood me, the eyes don’t lie.  In single heartbeat I activate three abilities that can be used on others. [Greatest Circle Protection – Evil] [Regenerating Aura] [Fortress of Swords]  Each ability used, her eyes grow larger with recognition, and her terror grows. 

Something bounces off my chest plate, it is an arrow, just a mundane wooden arrow, and it is not even imbued with magic.  Half of the outer circle has come together, while the other half attempts to flee with their merchandise.  In a burst of speed that belies my size I approach from their left, as I close there is fire, in that instant I know they are dead, but I continue to flame the ground until even the earth begins to melt.  The slavers have barely made it to the edge of the clearing when I pounce.  Three die instantly to my claws, the fourth I send flying with my tail, he makes a wet splattering sound as he hits a nearby tree.  The last one is holding a short sword to the neck of a little girl, she sobs for her mother to save her.  He screams at me in the (Common) tongue to stay away or he will kill her.  I may not know the strength of the world or its people, but I know my own.  Using one of only two super tier spell-like abilities I possess, I placed [Sanctuary] on the child.  Purposely slurring my speech I speak to them.

 ** _“Issss thisss how yousss form your tongue?”_** He nods his affirmation to me.

 ** _“Good, I have just cast Sanctuary on the child, you could toss her in to an active volcano, and she would walk out unharmed.”_** He stared at me blankly, so I released my flame again.

When I was done, he was gone, and the child is unharmed.  She was still crying, and still completely oblivious of me.  So I removed myself to the other side of the glade and sat down, resting my head on top of my front paws/hands.  Sooner or later one of them with come talk to me.

I didn’t have to wait long…

There was a lot of activity immediately following the altercation.  As I observed them across the field, I began to learn more of this world around me.  This community of people was made up of several YGGDRASIL races.  I could see humans, elves, and what I think might have been dwarves.  There were others I did not recognize, maybe some type of fey or a sub-race of demon-kin.  Because of [Regeneration Aura] no one was injured, the simple fact that everyone’s bloody wounds closed up and healed rapidly, baffled many.  And as I caught bits of conversations here and there, the aura also cured older injuries, aged scars were gone, even the ailments of old age had been treated.  There was an old man, human, maybe mid-80s with a white beard, dancing around like a small child, much to the shock of those around him.

Many were mothers with children or elderly looking individuals.  I could see craftsmen mixed in with the crowd, as I watched, people started to gather together in small groups, talking animatedly, and pointing in my direction.  On a whim I pulled and item from my inventory, (The Monocle of the Beholder), and equipped it.  This item was a limited use magic item that allowed me to see magical auras; depending of the brightness of the aura and the color I could determine overall power levels and whether anyone was a magic caster was using divine or arcane magic.  Many within the crowd had faint auras.  Most looked untrained or under job level three, those that appeared to have some training all appeared to be spontaneous casters.  So magic did exist here, that was a good sign.  But these people were not a good cross section of the rest of the population in this world, and those slavers were very weak, stronger than these people, but still very weak.  Even this forest felt different, calm, and peaceful.  I could have sworn I was in one of the starter zones from YGGDRASIL.  With that thought, there is movement, people are approaching me.

Four to be specific, a human male, a beardless male dwarf, a female woodland elf judging by her clothing, and maybe an orc crossbreed, gender eludes me on this one.  They approach me hesitantly, wary and on guard.  I do not move, unlike other YGGDRASIL races, I cannot turn off my [Aura of Intimidation].  The human is shaking badly; he stinks of terror, and looks like he wants to bolt.  The dwarf is intimidated but curious, the elf looks bored, but her eyes are hollow and distant, she mourns for someone.  The orc/person/thing is angry, and they just want to vent that.  As introductions go they are Jacob, Sigrid, Leona, & Thurgau.  They have been nominated to speak with me, each represent a portion within the whole of the village of Fallen Oak.  They are very thankful for the rescue, as none of them wished to be slaves, but they have nothing of value in the village, to reward me with.  I shock them all when I ask three simple questions; I don’t know if they are surprised that I spoke to them or the fact that they could all understand me.

First I needed to know what their intentions were, did they plan on rebuilding the village or were they planning on leaving for some nearby village or town?  Their answers were conflicted, Jacob was all for fleeing, there was a large settlement four days ride west of here, and he felt they would be safer there.  Sigrid wanted to rebuild and fortify the village, but without easy access to stone or a larger labor pool, he did not have high hopes for that endeavor.  Leona dispassionately listed off their troubles; all of their food stores had been burned in the attack, she had witnesses that said the well had been poisoned by the slavers.  And they had to mourn their dead, the older children and their men who fought back.  And someone else as well, but she broke down weeping at that point.  Thurgau and their group just wanted revenge; they wanted to slack their bloodlust on a scapegoat.  The rage was not born from a sense of justice to be served, but with premeditated murder in mind.

My second question was more generalized I needed information, a lot of information.  I explained that I had been asleep for a thousand years, and that I no longer recognized this world.  If there was someone within the village who could answer my many questions, I would consider the equal payment to saving their lives.  Judging by their facial expressions, I may have just stupefied them all.  When they regained the ability to speak, Leona confirmed that the village chief was killed in the defense, as was their most revered lore master.  But Sigrid had something to add.

_“There was a group of copper plates in town.  Just before the attack started they were restocking supplies and provisions for their journey back to the Adventurers Guild Hall, over in E-Rantal.”_

**_“Players!!  Here!!”_** I exclaimed.

This really caught my attention; at that moment I wished I had a mirror.  What does eagerness look like on a dragons face?  My startled movements caused them to jump away from me, and for a brief moment, I stopped to think.  Why was I still in dragon form, I had the racial ability to polymorph into any humanoid creature I wanted, that would at least make this conversation go smoother and make interactions easier.  At the same time, some part of me, maybe my new draconic nature, asserted itself over my thoughts.  Not using this ability was a trump card, the less these people know about me gives me a greater advantage over them.  And I agreed with myself, it was at this point I realized that I was no longer a human playing a mythological fantasy creature in a game, but a living breathing monster with memories from a game and completely different reality.  Even my biology was different, so my thinking would be influenced by my draconic nature.

_“Whoa, dragon, I am not familiar with the context of players in this matter.  Their copper plates, Hand of something or other, I don’t remember.  They’re like the military except they take jobs like killing monster for rewards or exploring ancient ruins for lost treasure.”_

**_“Sorry, my bad, didn’t mean to startle all of you, and my name is Cassius, or if you wish to be formal you can call me Ancient One or the Red Lord.  I am also unfamiliar with your terminology it appears that much has changed while I slept.”_ **

Come on [Bluff] don’t fail me now, where is ChinChinChilla01, when I really need her, she was so much better at this sort of thing.  After a moment’s hesitation on my part, it appeared that my little white lie, worked.

Finally I asked about magic, none of them had reacted adversely when I used “spells” on them earlier.  So at least it existed here and was common enough that it did not frighten the villagers.  I was equally surprised when Thurgau piped up.

_“Magic Casters are usually found in the big cities working for the nobility or as part of the Adventures Guild.  Personally in my travels I had the honor to witness a magic caster use third tier magic, it was an impressive sight.  I also heard a rumor that a neighboring country had a weapon that used seventh tier magic, but that would be impossible, more like something only the gods could do.”_

Desperately I had to keep control.  I bit my tongue, and kept my mouth shut tight.  I couldn’t let them see that I wanted to laugh so bloody hard.  It wasn’t working, little wisps of flames was starting to leak from my mouth.  And my eyes shone with amusement, a great big belly laugh was coming.  I made the hand gesture for “one moment please”, and turned away from them, and cut loose.  I needed a good laugh, everything that had happened since I woke up, all that stress bubbled up.  As I calmed down, I had to apologize again to them, blaming my thousand year nap and the changes to the world for my mirth.

Oh my god, either magic had somehow translated to this world from YGGDRASIL or it had always existed here to begin with.  But even the terminology was the same, the more I find out the more questions I have.  And if tier three was the impressive power of adventures, and seventh was the realm of the gods, what about tenth tier or super tier or even world class.  Just last year, Tree of Roses teamed up with a PvP guild for a raid event, their guild leader was a character named Momonga, he was a caster class, built to slaughter armies with is magic.  We had won that raid with Momonga’s help and that of his guild.  But here, a caster of that power could rule like a living god.  The sheer hilarity of this was nearly overwhelming.

Taking a deep breath, I purposed that they travel northeast to the mountains where my Tree of Roses was located.  Offering them sanctuary and shelter within the walls of the fortress city.  Of the four most seemed to contemplate my offer, although Sigrid spoke up first.

**** _“I am from the northern mountains.  I was born there they are controlled by the dwarf clans and there are only two of our cities there.  Cities just don’t appear overnight like magic.”_

That was rather funny, considering how close he was to the truth.  But explaining my circumstance to him and the others would needlessly complicate matters.  So I told them that spells of protected and hid the city, went away when I woke up.  But to counter their frowns of confusion I tried a little levity and said.

**_“Have you ever heard of a giant talking red dragon that saves people for no reward, and doesn’t eat people?”_ **

Again Sigrid had to poke holes in my suggestion.

_“No, I see your point there, but what about provision or supplies, many here will perish on the journey.”_

**_“When I first landed, I used a series of spells, on your people to protect them from harm.  Specifically [Fortress of Swords] and the [Sanctuary] I cast on that little girl, for the time being you are protected from outside harm.  [Fortress of Swords] might have been a bit of overkill, but I didn’t really know what to expect.  There is nothing in those woods that will harm your people.”_ **

Well nothing short of a walking, talking, nuclear bomb equipped with world-class items, and a sense of justice below zero, but I wasn’t going to mention that.  Just like I wasn’t going to tell them that [Sanctuary] was a near permanent combat buff and would last for a limited number of combat encounters equal to my overall level.  If my suspicions were correct that little girl was going to die of old age after a long and very safe life.

**_“Enough for now, go and discuss this with your people, I will think on your provisions problem, in the mean time I wish to speak with these “copper-plates”_ **

I had been sitting for too long, my wings felt stiff and tried to stifle a massive yawn, as my vision cleared I realized that the glade had gone quite.

**_“What? Do I have something in my teeth?”_ **

I could hear a few titters of muffled laughter and the giggles of small children, as well as parents trying desperately to shush them.

Well at least someone got the joke.

Humor aside, I put forth as much of a commanding presence as possible and using my best authoritarian voice called out to the group.

**“I am going to the village, would all copper plates please join me there I would like to speak with them.”**

**End Chapter 3**


	4. Copper Plate

**Chapter 4 – Copper Plate**

Careful to where my feet landed I passed through the tree line into the village.  Fires still burned in places but many of the buildings were smoked wreathed shells.  There was no noise beyond the crackle of flames.  It was eerie, the attackers had been merciless.  This was now a village of the dead.  Against the backdrop of haze and smoke I could make out older moss cover structures.  Someone had raised a settlement here before.  Why had they not built upon what was here before, these walls of stone, though old were still sound.  Haunted maybe?  Or was it some sort of social taboo.  Regardless I didn’t have time to indulge my curiosity.

The village was gone, calling it ruins really don’t do it justice, hollowed out fire blackened homes lined foot paths and dirt roads.  Storage barns and grain silos once packed with foodstuffs and supplies for the entire village had been demolished and put to the torch.  I found a well in the center of town, there is a dead horse at the bottom, and its blood tainted the water below.  Bodies were strewn about where they had fallen.  There was no rhyme or reason to this slaughter, surprise had been total.  Defenders lay in small groups here and there.  But many more had been cut down while fleeing, brutally stabbed from behind or cut down as they tried to help others.  Some bodies showed signs of desecration and trophy taking, others of rape.  A quick death at my claws had been to kind of a fate for these bastards.  From what I could see very little would be salvageable for the journey ahead.  As I continued my search of the village, I began to sense the presence of another.  I was being stalked.  Someone was attempting to sneak up on me.  This one had some talent, but I could smell them, and they were afraid.  Let us see what they can do...

_As she approaches with the greatest of care possible, she is again terrified at what she sees.  A dragon, she had heard the stories about them from the bards.  But she had always thought them just that, stories.  Didn’t they terrorize people with fire and demand young princesses as live sacrifices?  This one was so much different, and so bloody big.  Kiren, what the hell were you thinking, you’re a thief in training, this is a legendary beast, like the Wise King of the Forest.  Earlier this beast spoke in an ancient language reserved for magical casters.  And those spells, she had never even heard of them.  Pausing for a moment, she had been stabbed badly early in attack by a slaver, she knew she had been dying, the wound in her side was too large and had done too much damage, as she lay in that clearing trying to hold her guts in and still stay awake.  Then that monster landed and spoke like her brother had so long ago.  After it had spoken her wound closed on its own, and she felt so much better, everywhere.  Even old injuries were healed, she knew she had no more scars on her, not even the one she would have wanted to keep, she had looked.  What kind of monster heals people?_

_It had called for copper plates; it wanted to talk to them.  But all her friend were dead, she had seen it happen, what was she to do, if she ran it would catch her.  What if it was mad at her for not protecting the villagers, what if it didn’t like what she had to say.  Moving again, she looked to where the dragon was, not there, what, how?  There was no sound, even the trees were silent, could it turn invisible, maybe it had just an illusion.  It wasn’t, I heard it then, from my left, a voice like two mountains grinding together, and I wet myself, right there._

It was the girl from earlier, the one you had understood draconic, she moved like a shadow or she tried too, from the looks of it.  She was human, maybe twenty years of age, guessing I would say about a job level of three in rogue or one of the subtypes.  Her armor and clothing was ragged and torn, and I could see no weapons, concealed or otherwise.  She stopped next to a burned out home and clutched at her side where her armor was torn.  If I was a betting man, I would say she was suffering from some form of PTSD.  She was clearly conflicted even though she stank of fear, she was still brave enough to venture into the village ruin with me hear.  My estimation of her bravery improved.  I spotted a copper plate on a chain about her neck a literal copper plate, no writing or symbols, just a plain beaten copper plate.  As far as ranking systems go this was so primitive it almost hurt. 

I moved to the left of her to give her some distance, and then sat down, ever careful of what I was sitting on.  Giving her time to collect her thoughts, I opened my inventory and withdrew (Tea Service for Two); it was a level fifty gag item from an Alice in Wonderland event last year.  I had three.  Once activated, (Tea Service) creates a small sunlight glade with flowers and butterflies, in it are two white chairs and a silver tea service cart.  The cart is covered with frosted cinnamon rolls, two players can eat the rolls for up twenty minutes, but you get a (Sugar Rush) bonus, it doubles your movement rate when running, but drains your stamina four times as fast.  Besides who doesn’t like frosted cinnamon rolls.  With this all setup, I used [Polymorph Self – Humanoid], and changed into my default human warrior skin, I believe it was called Peon.  And it worked really well, this was so cool.  Just as I made to sit, she looked up to where I previously was, then frantically search the area.

 ** _“Greetings miss, would you like a cinnamon roll?”_**   And then she pissed herself.

_I was dead.  This is where I die, eaten by a dragon with hot piss running down my leg.  There are worse ways to go, but at this very moment I can’t think of any.  Wait a second, what did he just say?  I turned my head slowly to look, and there was a man, the most handsome man I have ever seen sitting on a white chair offering my a frosted pastry of some sort.  At once I was both completely ashamed and envious.  He was that perfect height, wearing a loose white tunic opened at the chest, tucked and belted into the tightest pair of black leather breeches I have ever seen, it was as if they were painted onto him.  His feet were bare, and perfect, it was almost comical.  It was as if someone had pulled him from a bard’s tale of the knight in shining armor that always saves the princess in distress._

_Maybe I was already dead, and this was the afterlife, if it was I was fine with that.  Alas it was not to be, for as soon as I walked forward to take the offered roll, I tripped over my own feet, only to be caught by HIM.  He completely supported my weight in his arms, and he was strong.  I could actually feel the play of his muscles beneath his shirt, there was a halo of yellow light around him, I could smell flowers in bloom, and there was even a butterfly that had landed on his arm before flitting away.  I didn’t want to move, I could have stayed here in his arms for the rest of eternity, but he gently placed me in the chair opposite, him, and retook his seat.  He said his name was Arthris, and with a smile that could melt a stone, he asked me for help, he  needed my help, and for the life of me, I wanted to help him if only to be a see that smile again._

Wow, (Tea Service), must be really potent in this world.  I think I may have blown her mind, quite literally.  First she falls, nearly didn’t catch her in time, and now she’s just staring at me, with the big brown eyes, and giggling like a little school girl.  She hasn’t even taken a bite of the cinnamon roll yet.  I am going to have to lock this item in the vault when I return to the guild fortress.  But, she responds quickly as soon as I started talking to her.  Introducing myself I ask for her basic information, she is Kiren, age eighteen summers, she is a copper plate adventure, and was part of the Shadowed Hand group.  I detect no lies from her just the truth.  What’s more, she is really happy to help me, like on drugs bliss out kind of happy.  Is (Tea Service) a truth serum here, shit I hope this wares off; don’t want to scar the natives more than I already have.

Despite the effect that (Tea Service) was having on her, I didn’t want to waste time.  I needed to know more about this world.  We started with the attack on the village, and the reason she and her companions were there.  I asked where she was from, and her homeland, and why she had chosen to become an adventurer.  I learn that the currency system here is not too dissimilar from that of YGGDRSIL, copper and silver being the common currency in any village or small town.  Gold in the bigger cities, this makes sense.  One hundred copper to a single silver piece, with one hundred silver to a gold.  And the largest amount of gold she has ever seen was around a thousand pieces, which is apparently an obscene sum of money.  The adventure guild she belongs to spans several kingdoms, and has a rank based system for its members, the more experience a person gains the higher rank they can attain, and the better paid jobs they can accept, although these jobs entitle some serious risk.  On this note I ask about resurrection magic?  It does exist, but only in large cities, and it is very expensive.  “Tree of Roses” needed allies in this new land and these people could be the first of those. 

I asked about the slavers that had attacked the village and if that was a common practice in this land.  I didn’t want to offend her considering that she had been wounded by them and all of her friends were dead somewhere in this ruin.  Strangely she didn’t even bat an eye at the question.  Sensing an opportunity I began to ask more and more about the surrounding nations, the people that lived there, and their rulers.  In the face of my battery of questions she gains a nervous tick and starts to rock back and forth while sitting on the edge of her chair.  Still answering my questions, she begins to take on a rather punch-drunk look.  (Tea Service) was counting down, and would end soon, so I needed to be quick.  My final question to her was if she could use magical items, she could, which made me smile.

 _We talked forever, he didn’t know anything about anything, so I told him everything I knew.  He wanted the truth of things so I told him the truth the entire time, I would have told him more if he would have let me.  Part way through the conversation, I noticed that this metal chair had raised edges on the four corners of the seat, and I slowly got into a pattern of stimulation as I rocked back and forth, it started as a unintentional nervous tick to help me think, but the longer I did it, the more I had to continue.  The last question he asked me was about magical items and if I could use them.  Of course I could, he smiled, it was the biggest, most perfect smile ever, pleasure exploded within me and I dropped to the ground shuddering and shaking.  He was over the top of me, saying something, but I couldn’t hear him, he held me tight to his chest, and I melted, shuddering harder than ever before_.

O shit, o shit, o shit, she’s overdosing, just as (Tea Service) ended she started to convulse and shake, she was crying when she hit the ground, making the nearly animalistic sounds.  All I can do is hold her close and try telling her it will be alright, (Sugar Rush) only lasts for thirty seconds in YGGDRASIL, god I hope it only lasted for thirty seconds here as well. In the real world I had only basic knowledge of first aid.  And in the realm of YGGDRASIL I was a warrior not a healer.  As I held her the seizures only seemed to grow worse.  I felt liquid warmth against my arm.  With the loss of muscle control she had voided her bowels.  This just wasn’t my day, despite everything that had happened, my interactions with others, specifically women, have caused nothing but trouble.   I really have to work on my people skills…

**End Chapter 4**

 


	5. Confusion, Clerics, and Community

**Chapter 5 – Confusion, Clerics, and Community**

The convulsions stopped after a few minutes, but ten minutes later Kiren’s condition had not improved, she appeared to be in some sort of fugue state, she kept whispering nonsense, between fits of giggles, and making soft mewling noises.  I have no job levels in any form of healer or divine caster, I may be able to make a plethora of restorative potions, but (Master Alchemist) is strictly for crafting items.  And the only place I knew of that had healers was the guild fortress.  Acting with haste and very little thought, used [Message] just as if I was calling a guild member.  Only I was trying to get Sigrid, and it worked, although he was clearing in shock have me talking in his head.  I informed him that I and the copper plate were going to go gather food for the journey, and that we would return before the “spells” I had cast on them went into cool down.  Breaking the link before he could reply, I reverted to my racial form, and braced myself.  What I was about to attempt had never been done, it was not an action that the YGGDRASIL servers would allow, so trying it here was going to be an experience.

My claws are not made for fine manipulation or gentleness, they are weapons and they are used as such.  Bracing me for what was to come, I opened my mouth and picked Kiren up with my tongue, gahh she was disgusting, she tasted of dirt and plant matter, and other nameless filth.  Getting her safely past my teeth, I gently closed my mouth leaving enough room for the circulation of air.  I took three bounding leaps and then I was airborne, all pretense of altitude or subtlety, were ignored, I was working for speed alone.  In YGGDRASIL I had the fastest flight speed attainable on the server, here I did not know what I could attain, but I had to push myself.  Thinking fast, I tried to contact the Guild Hall.  [Message – Guild – Anna, Rosa, Jeanette]  A rather attentive link was quickly established, along with their fervent greetings.

**_“Ladies I will be brief so listen close, I have made contact with the natives, and engaged in hostile action with some.  I am returning with haste with a young adventurer that I believe is suffering from a severe poison-based reaction to (Tea Service for Two) item.  Anna, meet me on floor one.  Bring the other healers as well.  Rosa, Jeanette, prepares for battle and musters a protective detail around five War Mammoths that is all.”_ **

War Mammoths are mounts that can be purchased at the Guild Stables, and are very useful for moving a large amount of people quickly over rugged terrain.  Say, fifty villagers and their belongings.  Just as I ended the message, I felt Kiren stir within my mouth, and then she started to stroke my tongue, I nearly dropped her right there.  With a jolt of air, this action stopped, and was replaced by violent contortions and a lot of screaming.  I had to move faster, her condition was getting worse, increasing the pace of my wings and tucking my feet in, and I cut through the air.  All the while praying I would get there in time.

_I was so warm.  I had met a prince, and he was truly something from a fairytale.  He had questions only I could answer for him, and then he smiled and held me close, whispering to me as I gave into my desires.  I could feel him; we must have moved to a bed, everything was so warm.  I could feel his arm wrapped around my backside.  Normally I am not this easy and would like to take my time, but everything was different with him, I wanted to give him the world if he would let me._

_I must have fallen asleep.  The storm woke me, wow the wind was really howling outside, I could even feel it pushing itself into the room.  There was a jolt as if the whole house was moving, I reached for my amulet, I could command it to produce light similar to a torch, I really wish I hadn’t.  I was in the mouth of a monster, I was lying on its tongue, surround by whitish yellow teeth as long as my leg and as sharp as swords.  Between two fangs, I could see the ground whipping past so fast it was a blur, for a brief moment, there was a village on a river, and it looked like Duncantown.  But that was impossible it was three hundred miles away to the north, she was going to die, this monster was taking her to its home.  No more, she was not dying without a fight, not after the events of this day.  She had a reason to live now; she was going to kill this beast even if she had to beat it from the inside out._

I come in low, the very tops of the trees brushing my scales.  Too late I see the village, as I whip over the settlement, my tail strike a passing chimney, taking it and part of the roof with it.  People scream, and scatter, with a single stoke of my wings, I am gone.  I can see the mountains ahead of me, five maybe ten minutes away.  Kiren’s thrashing gets worse, if this continues she is going to hurt herself.  I want to roar my frustration into the sky.

Upon the outer fortress walls stood a single elf cleric, waiting, keeping watch over the woods.  Rosa and Jeanette stand ready in the courtyard prepared for battle; they are dressed in the finest battle gear.  We have mustered the garrison.  A full maniple stands with the War Mammoths awaiting our lord’s return.  As ordered myself and three other clerics of the NPC’s stand ready to act.  Although the skies were nearly cloudless, lookouts reported a fell sound approaching from the south.  Within a span of minutes we spotted the Red Lord, he was approaching at such speed that trees were left ruined in his wake.  Passing us once, he circled before landing in the courtyard, chest heaving and wings twitching.  Before anyone could react he opened his mouth wide and a person fell out.  It is a young woman.  She was screaming incoherently and quickly stood and laid a blow on the end of our Lords snout.  Rosa takes her down with a swift blow to the head, rendering her prone and unconscious.

**_“Rosa, NO, I brought her here to be healed, not murdered before my eyes.  Where are your sisters?  Anna, deal with this, Rosa go to the kitchens and gather restorative meals for fifty, as well as drink for the same amount, and stow them on the Mammoths.  Jeanette, I need you to go to the Great Library and retrieve a dozen scrolls of [Gate].  I need to sit down, and rest for a moment.”_ **

Wow, I am tired, really burned up the stamina on that trip.  Opening my inventory I start looking for potions, potions, where did I put those potions.  Ah here we go, ah, restoratives feel good, now to wait for the girls.

**_  
_ **

****

Meanwhile back at the village ruins. 

Sigrid – We gathered our dead.  The elves burned theirs so that no trace of them was left.  Those few dwarves remaining buried ours beneath stones, carved with their deeds.  The humans dug deep pits, and cried and wailed like banshees over them.  I think the orcs ate theirs.   We gathered again in the clearing waiting for the red beast to return, hoping for salvation at the hands of a monster.  How times have changed.  The first sign of trouble is the sound of trees falling, to the north of us.  Something is moving through the woods, many something.  I have worked in lumberyards before, and I know the sound of a tree’s falling.  Then we hear the thunder, a great deep thunder rolls over the sounds of the trees falling.  But the skies are cloudless, and then I realize, it is a stampede and we are in its path.  Before I can shout a warning they break from the trees.

Thurgau – Mammoths, massive furred mammoths.  It is unbelievable; they are native to the high mountains where the snows are thick.  I have heard they are kept as cattle for frost giants.  But here are five of them in a neat line, carrying great leather saddles and bulging bags.  Forty feet tall with shaggy fur, and they are being driven by riders, just above their heads.  They pull up just within the glade, stopping in perfect unison.  The beast training involved just for that single feat stuns me.  Then men in golden armor begin to disembark.  Trouble, now?

Jacob- I knew it was all too good to be true, whoever they are, they are well equipped.  That plate mail, looks like it is made of gold, some have shields with the emblems of a tree on it, and others wielded massive crossbows.  We are so dead; maybe I can bolt for the trees now they won’t see me.

Leona – We all heard the stampede coming, but no one moved, maybe we had we could have run for safety, but we didn’t.  We had lost so much; we were going to meet this fate standing with our eyes open.  When the beasts charged from the woods, it wasn’t their size of them or the fact that they were creatures of the north, or the armed men that dismounted from them.  It was the fact that my people saw royalty sitting on the heads of two of the beasts.  Elf Nobles, princesses no less, dressed in the finest battle armor.  We were saved, our people were saved!

I landed in the clearing just as the War Mammoths broke the tree line.  Everyone had reacted differently; I could see shocked faces mixed in with awe, and terror.  As the garrison troops dismounted and started to setup tables for the food and drink I had brought, I had ordered the Thorns to mingle with the villagers and gather as much information as possible.  We needed to know more of this land and its people.  The smells of roasted meats and fresh bread began to waft across the glade.  These people were timid at first, but the necessity of hunger, soon overrode their sense of caution.  Soon everyone was feasting.

When I had returned to the Tree of Roses, I had been famished.  The effort of sustained flight at low altitude had been incredibly taxing.  I thought that a quick stamina potion and some rest to catch my breath, and I would be good to go again.  I was wrong, the longer I rested the worse I felt.  I am afraid that I lost myself to my primal nature, without thought, I moved to a nearby livestock pen.  Several cows stood within, a decretive feature in YGGDRASIL, they were living animals here.  Stretching my neck I reached in and grabbed one with my teeth, piercing its flesh, and draining it of blood.  It tasted wonderful.  I proceeded to do this with four more animals.  Leaving the bodies where they landed, I began to drink from a nearby water feature, before laying down to rest.  The sun was pleasantly warm on my wings and scales.  A couple of NPC villages approached me and the paddock of dead cows.  With a growl and a spurt of flame, I sent them scurrying.

After basking with the warmth of the sun, I felt energized, and ready to feed.  The need for meat was overwhelming, I returned to the cattle I had drained earlier.  In massive crunching bites, I consumed them, bones and all.  The feeling of fullness swept over me, and I was content.  It was then, like a switch had been thrown.  I came to my senses and realized what I had just down, while I, Arthris was disgusted with my actions.  I also realized that some part of my physiology was affecting me.  While I was a human, I had none of these urges, was it only in dragon form that this behavior took root?  Oddly no one around me questioned my actions, but these were not players, rather they are NPC’s.  How did they feel about what I had just done?  Did they even have an opinion?

In the glade the villagers laugh and sing.  People converse and their mood brighten, with everything that has happened this is a good stress relief.  It also helps that the food is restorative items from the guild.  They are all getting a statistical increase to their strength and stamina.  Children run around with energy and horse play, and soon the braver ones make it a game to see who will run up to me and touch my scales.  I would snuffle and twitch whenever they got close, letting only the smallest and shyest approach.

Rosa and Jeanette are popular.  All of the elves and a good number of others gathered around them, judging by the animated expressions thing were going well.  I noticed that while surrounded by so many people, there was like an invisible wall around them, no one would approach close to them.  And all the elves acted so formal and submissive towards them.  Given enough time they would find out everything I need to know.  Meanwhile Sigrid approached smiling.

“You are a wonder Ancient One, never have I feasted on such wonderful food or drink before.  But to be served by those golden knights, they move without effort, it is as if they were born in that armor.  I have worked the trade of smith for three centuries and have never seen such craftsmanship.  And those elves, how is it that you can command nobility?  Where did you find them?”

**_“I am glad the food is to your liking, the kitchens had little time to prepare.  As for those knights, though pleasing to look at, are just pop-monsters from my garrison they follow orders and can provide some support in a fight but they are nothing special.  As for the elves, those two plus their sister, which makes three, were given to me as a gift from a friend.”_ **

“They’re slaves, but how?  Why?  You killed the slavers here, but they are bound to your will.  They were gifts, like chattel?  You are a monster!

**_“What, no, you misunderstand.  They are not slaves, they are my advisors.  They hold important positions within the Tree of Roses.  Their creator made them for the express purpose of helping me run the Tree of Roses.”_ **

Awe, horror, and confusion were written on his face.  He sputtered and tripped over his words, my simple answers were a great shock to him.  I had not lied per se to him, SoftandCute17, was technically the mother of hundreds of NPC’s within the guild.  And she had created Anna, Rosa, and Jeanette with the express purpose to help me with my administrative work.

“You knew the queen, their mother that would make you truly ancient?”

**_“She wasn’t a queen; at least I don’t think she had acquired that title yet.  Yes she had an attitude, and would sometimes whine to get what she wanted.  But she wasn’t royalty.  She was a good friend, and one of the best Ancients I have ever known, her work was exemplary, when we get to the Tree of Roses you will see.”_ **

Shocked awe that is what this is.  I have frightened him badly, which confused me even more.  He bowed out to me and ran back his people.  Pulling Leona aside and talking excitedly gesturing in my direction.  If anything the level of excitement increased.  None of them knew SoftandCute17, why it was important that she had created the sisters and why did this mean so much to him?

The sun was starting to set; it was time to put my plan into motion.  The villages were starting to grow sleepy; I informed them that they were to board the War Mammoths.  These creatures could carry up to twelve people each.  And an excellent ground speed regardless of terrain.  The plan was twofold the villagers would ride Mammoths north through the wood, through till an hour before morning.  Then while they slept my riders would use scrolls of [Gate] to transport everyone just outside the outer walls of the Tree of Roses.  In the morning they would disembark and take up residence within the courtyard village.  I left the details for my thorns to handle.  I needed to rest.  For my first day in this world I was stressed and tired.  Normally I would reach my platform and log off, but now?  I didn’t even have my favorite pillow or blanket.

Within the temple of clerics at the Tree of Roses, Anna went about her duties.

My Lord, had left this human in my care, he had said there was poison involved.  But I could find no trace of it.  She was suffering from severe shock and a mild concussion.  And she was filthy; her clothing would have to be burned.  She was currently in an unassigned room within the house of healing.  In the morning we would bathe her, and find something appropriate for her to wear.  But there was potential here, she was young, clean limbed.  There were no marks upon her skin and extreme lack of personal grooming.  But if one looked she could be considered pretty in her own way.  Anna was unique among her sisters; her mother SoftandCute17 hand crafted each of the sisters to be their own individual.  But as she and her sisters were loyal to both the Red Lord & the Tree of Roses, SoftandCute17 said that they were to love and obey the Leader of the Tree of Roses.  Rosa and Jeanette both competed for the Red Lords affections, sometimes shamelessly brazen in they’re attempts.  But Anna preferred the company of women over men.  She never had to chance to ask her mother why she alone felt this way, and now she might never be able to.  Maybe if she did a good job with this task, the Ancient One would let her keep this human, for herself.  I will just sit here and keep an eye on her for a bit.

_Oh my head, I woke with the sun glaring into my room.  The first thing I noticed was I was in the most comfortable bed ever. It was so warm and soft, and the pillows there were like ten of them.  Shielding my eyes I look around the room, it is very well appointed.  She was in a massive four poster bed, nearby is a low end table with a glass pitcher of water.  At the foot of the bed is a massive ironbound chest.  There was a dresser along one wall and a fireplace on the opposite wall.  As I sit up, my vision blurs a little, I grab a nearby post to steady myself, I am shocked to discover that I am nude, even my undergarments are missing.  Maybe my gear is in the chest at the foot of the bed or the dresser in the corner, but who undressed my.  I can’t remember much of yesterday, I was attacked and injured, but everything is a blur after that.  Pulling myself from the warmth of the bed, I open the ironbound chest and find nothing, absolutely nothing.  Okay, maybe in the dresser, nothing as well.  This is not good, I have no idea where I am and I am completely without armor, weapons, or even a shift to cover myself with.  I have to think here, don’t panic, and just think.  Hearing voices beyond the door I dive for the bed, grabbing at the blankets._

Entering the room Anna noticed her charge was awake.  “Good morning, I thought you were going to sleep till noon.  How is the head, you took quite a blow, I didn’t know have much damage you could take.  Come on, get up we need to get you into the bath and clean you up.”

“Where are my cloths and armor?  Who are you?  What is going on?”

“Your clothing was filthy and in tatters, and your armor was practically falling off of you.  So I had them burned, I am Princess Annabelle Rose of the Tree of Roses and you are in my home.”

Oh goody she has been shocked into silence.  Reaching into my medical satchel I withdraw a couple of bath towels before continuing.  “You were brought here by the Red Lord for medical treatment.  We treated you for shock, and you still have a mild concussion.  Now what is the last thing you remember?”

No, no, no, this is too much.  I can’t be here.  What am I going to do?  My thoughts are a jumbled mess.  “You burned my cloths and my armor, why would you do that!  Are you the one who undressed me?  I need to get out of here, I don’t have time for a bath, I have to find my friends, we were attacked by slavers, I remember bleeding out and then it is all a blur.”

Poor girl is recovering well but her mind is still a mess.  Rosa’s blow to the head may have caused traumatic swelling within the brain and there was still a possibility of memory loss.  Her questions are rapid and scattered.  I try to explain everything to her, but after a bit she isn’t really listening anymore.  The bedding has fallen of her shoulders and pools at her waist.  A cursory inspection of her upper body reveals very little in the way of scars or injuries.  Her flawless white skin is like that of a child, unmarked by the passage of time or the rigors of life.  But I can smell her from where I stand.  The bedding will have to be burned and this room clean several times over to remove such a stench.  This human, this girl wraps herself within the folds of a blanket before bolting towards the door.  She looks so vulnerable yet so adorable.  I intercept her before she has even crossed the threshold, grabbing her under her arms.  She tries to throw me off as I drag her down the hall, cute, but futile.  At the end of the hall is the bathing room.  I have had it prepared ahead of time.  Hot steam rises from the water, and supplies of scented oils and brushes stand along the edge waiting to be used.  Her struggles intensify as if the water was some form of torture device.  I reach for the bed sheet wrapped around her and toss her into the water using an Ippon seoinage throw.  As her naked form hits the water, I am left holding the soiled sheets.  She sputters and coughs completely taken off guard by my move.  Rushing to the edge she tries to exit the bath.

“The bath has been prepared just for you and will be bathed whether you want it or not.  Even if I have to hold you down and scrub you myself.”

Oh my god this little bitch of an elf destroyed all my things.  I saved up for nearly two years to get that armor made, and she tossed glibly in a fire because it smelled bad.  My precious weapon and clothing, most of that will take forever to replace.  What am I going to do now?  I don’t think walking around this town in a bed sheet would be a good idea.  First I got to get away from this she-elf.  Great she’s distracted with her bag got to make a run for it.

“Ow, ow, ow that hurts let go you stupid cow!!!” 

Holy shit, this girl was strong, despite my best efforts it feels like I am fighting a statue. This elf is not much bigger than me, yet she drags me down the hallway like some irritant child.  At the end of the hall was a massive room, steam issued from the doorway and I could smell flowers within.  I had heard stories growing up of home of the rich and elite, but I have never had the chance to see such wonder.  It was a bathe, only it was massive.  You could fit everyone from the Shadowed Hand in this tub at the same time and still have room to spare.  The chamber is warm and comfortable in each of the corners of the room stands a massive brazier, a smokeless heat issues from each.  All around the room garlands of flowers hang from the walls and ceiling, the perfumed scent a spring is everywhere.  Despite feeling enclosed and private I can make out several large windows with sunlight streaming in.  Each has a carefully crafted wooden shade over it, each allowing the maximum amount of light in while making it impossible for anyone to peer inside.  Even though I am in some rich whore’s house, I need to get away.  Just as I gain some traction, my world inverts itself and I land head first in the pool of hot water. 

I come up sputtering.  How did she do that?  She tossed me like I was a leaf and at the same time she somehow managed to rip the bed sheet from me.  I try to climb out be she stops me cold with an icy stare that chills me despite the warmth of the water around me.  As she picks up a hard bristle brush from the edge of the pool and with an almost playful yet scolding tone.  She tells me that this in going to happen, either I can relax and enjoy it.  Or beg for mercy at her hands.  I would laugh if it was for the fact that she looks so terrifying. 

As this elf stand before me at the edge of the bathe, she pulls loose a single string of cloth just above her sternum, as if by magic her entire outfit pool around her ankles with barely a whisper.  Even I am at a loss for words.  The life of an adventurer does not allow for the forming of long term relationships, and I have my fare share of bar room trysts with some beefcake or another.  But I would be lying if I said I was unmoved by this she-elf’s beauty.  She has the regal bearing of a noble daughter and her vestments were that of a cleric of the healing arts.  But as she slowly stepped into the bath none of that mattered.  Her long blonde hair ran nearly to her waist and was as fine as silk.  About her hips she wore a simple cloth drape tied at her hips, concealing everything and nothing at the same time.  Her skin was flawless, like a diamond that had been cut and polished to perfection.  Despite the awesome strength she displayed earlier, her body was supple and soft.  Nowhere was hard muscle seen.  She was neither overweight nor skinny like me.  She just had a healthy mix in between each.  I could not move for the life of me.  It was as if I was trapped in front of her.  Any thought I had entertained of escape melted away.  Slowly she sat upon the low bench within the bathe, as the bubbling water lapped at her milky white shoulders she motioned to me with a “come hither” gesture.  I didn’t think I just moved, or rather my body moved while my mind tried to take everything in.  Within mere moments I stood before her.  Slowly her hands caressed my flesh, gently rubbing my skin with scented oil and scented bath sands.  I felt like flawed little girl being bathed by her older sister. 

With feather light touches, I turned and twisted as she bid me to do.  Before long I had been brushed, scraped, scented, and soaking.  Relaxed beyond measured thought, I assumed a sitting position at the bottom of the tub.  Her task completed my elf host sat opposite me.  First there were introductions, basic greetings, and ice breakers to start with.  She was Annabelle or Anna to her friends.  One of three sister princesses destined to administer to the needs of the Tree of Roses, a task that her mother the Queen had chosen for her.  We exchanged small talk, questions, and answers.  I got the feeling that she was sad and that her existence was a lonely one.  My heart went out to her, and soon we were doing more than just talking.  The closeness of our flesh, so recently scrubbed was still slick with the oil of our bathing.  Slowly but with growing pace we slipped and slide against each other.  We both attempt to attain oneness with the other through the pleasures of the flesh.  Soon the water frothed with our passionate embrace as we both chased our mutual release.  It would be some time before we finally left the bath…

**End Chapter 5**


	6. Wakeful Agony & Life Encountered

**Chapter 6 – Wakeful Agony & Life Encountered**

In the real world I’m a technical writer, mostly instructional tech manuals or how-to-use guides.  It is a good job with a good paycheck.  As an added bonus my boss allows me to work from home.  I wonder how long it will be before someone notices that I am not around.  That being said, I tend to wake around noon, recovering from late evenings playing YGGDRASIL.  I don’t do mornings, no amount of caffeine or alarms can change this.  If I am forced to be up early, I tend to be grumpy and irritable.   This was going to be one of those mornings.    

Waking up is hard, I hurt everywhere.  My body presses down onto the hard stone floor of my platform, my ribs feel bruised.  My wings wrap around my body like a blanket shielding me from the air, they are stiff and reluctant to bend or fold.  Even my tail, tucked under me, feels like a leaden weight.  A chill runs the length of my spine.  I swear I can see my breath.  There is no wind, despite the altitude.  Some form of magic blocks the outside environment from entering my sanctum.  How did the storybook myths go about dragons, they lived in caves, and they slept on hoards of treasure, didn’t they.  Faintly I wondered if that actually worked.  With my muscles twitching and my bones creaking, I decided that sleeping on treasure couldn’t hurt as bad as sleeping on stone.

I did not feel the need to eat a breakfast or anything for awhile.  Normally I would bath and use the facilities but my platform lacked the plumbing for both.  The former would be welcome given how I woke.  And the difficulties of the latter would have to be solved at some point.  There was no newspaper for me to read, though that was not really a loss.  Everything considered, I was slowly adding to an ever increasing list of things to do.

Beyond myself my floor was empty, with my normal log in time around the early evening.  I wondered what NPC’s did when I wasn’t around.  Yes there were other players within the guild on at all times of the day, but many of them never get above the fifth floor.  As I glided down to the bypass, I made the decision to get as much work done as I could.  Logistics of this new world would have to come first, gathering resources was no longer as easy as clicking a button.  Crafting materials, foodstuffs, clean water, money, and trade would all need to be dealt with in turn.  I would need the help of my Thorns for most of this work.  I activated [Polymorph – Humanoid] this time as my primary Elf warrior form.  This was my standard choice for work around the Guild Hall or when I was called upon to help in the leveling of other members of the guild.  Curiosity was overwhelming considering how everything had translated into this world I wondered what I looked like.  In YGGDRASIL elf’s of any type received harsh criticism over their renderings, considered overly cute or cartoony.  Players only had limited ability to adjust their avatars as they saw fit. 

So when I pulled smooth silver backed shield from my pile of scrape and held it up as ad hoc mirror.  I was blown away.  I had expected a willowy thin limbed creature with pointy ears and a pale complexion.  Rather I was ripped, it was almost scary to look at, slab like muscles were prominently showing in my arms and legs.  I looked clumsy as if I would fall over, but I felt light on my feet.  My face had none of the sharp edges I would expect from a classic elf portrayal.  There was bluntness to everything.  I still had the pointed ears, but only barely.  My gold spun hair could easily cover my ears and would have to be pulled back or it would constantly get in my eyes.  I was roughly the same age as Rosa.  Rather I had that timeless look of ageless youth.  My vanity sated I selected the item (Steward of the Empire) clothing set from my inventory.  This proved a new and interesting point.  In YGGDRASIL you could not make your character nude or any character nude for that matter.  Here in this world if I wanted to change clothing, I actually had to take off the old cloths and put on the new ones, there was no easy equipping here.  But this did prove something to me.  Given how YGGDRASIL had worked I was terrified that I would look like an old style Ken doll.  So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was not, and it appeared that all the plumbing was there.  Although wearing tight pants would be out of the question as would most of the swimwear I had collected.  The need for a jock strap for simple protection might be a necessary addition for my wardrobe.  With my ego soothed and now dressed as a proper administrator I started to contemplate my tasks for the day.

_Rosa – I am a light sleeper, it is in my nature.  As the sun rises over the mountain peaks and the first rays of warmth enter my room, gently waking me.  Yesterday was so busy, but that is the way of the Ancients.  They are supreme beings of untold power, bending entire armies to their will.  But our Red Lord is a level beyond any of his kin.  He radiated with power, as a dragon he was an engine of destruction and power.  But in his warrior form he was perfection.  With the last of sleep leaving my body, I began my early morning rituals._

_Being the daughter of an Ancient, she had no need to train or practice.  Rosa, like her sisters and all the other floor guardians, were gifted with powers and abilities beyond that of mortal kind.  She could admit to herself that she is a creature of beauty.  Her mother, the Ancient SoftandCute17, had created her to be the ultimate thief, and well as a mistress of seduction.  Just entering her two hundred and thirty second year, she was still the youngest of her sisters by at least a century, roughly the equivalent to a twenty two year old human, mentally if not quite physically just yet.  She slowly roamed her eyes up and down her body, inspecting the play of her tight muscles beneath her perfectly tanned skin.  Her feet are small and well formed.  Her toes are small and straight. Although she will have to touch up the polish on them after she baths.  Her mother said she had legs like a gymnast slim yet powerful.   Her hips were narrow, lacking the curves of both her older sisters.  Her stomach was flat and toned with just enough feminine softness not to be considered a washboard.  Rosa was proud of her upper body strength, her chest, back, and arms were hard with muscle.  But where someone would smile at the thought of being so physically fit, Anna was not.  Her frown was born from the fact that unlike her sisters, she was nearly flat as a board.  Both Anna and Jeanette had breasts equal in size to large grapefruits, where as hers were more like small conical lumps that did not even fill her own petite hands.  A point she emphasized by grabbing her own flesh, if it were not for her overly sensitive rosebud pink nipples she would have cried out in agony at the shame she felt.  Yesterday, just after the Lord Cassius had recovered from his sickness.  He had shown a lot of interest in her sister’s curves, did he find her lacking?_

_Rosa’s room was part of the Sixth Floor apartments, same as her sisters.  All of the Guardians as well as all of the Ancients had apartments here, except for Lord Cassius that is.  From the entryway foyer the floor is designed like a large wheel.  In the center is large communal area.  Contained within were locker rooms, a large swimming pool, hot tub and sauna.  The corridor wrapped around this central zone, with the apartments for Ancients and Guardians alike radiating off of it like spokes of a wheel.  Grabbing a towel as she left her room, Rosa walked brazenly down the hall past her sisters rooms towards the pool area.  Walking down the hall, Rosa decided to peek in on her sisters.  Anna’s room looked like its traditional mess.  Laundry scattered across the floor with little or no regard, books piled floor to ceiling, as well as the remains of many midnight snacks.  But the room is empty, even at this hour, her sister seldom sleeps in her own room, maybe she is down on the fifth floor on an overnight with the handmaidens._

_Leaving Anna’s wasteland behind, Rosa moved onto her sister Jeanette’s door.  Rumbling snores echo past the doorway.  Jeanette seldom wakes before early evening, like clockwork, she will raise just before Lord Cassius, arriving promptly for his briefing.  Peaking inside, Rosa can just make out the forms of plushy stuffed animals all made in the form of Lord Cassius.  Big ones, small ones, scary ones, or cute ones, they were everywhere.  Some are swinging from the ceiling, or are perched on furniture.  One of the large ones shares Jeanette’s bed, Rosa could clearly see her sister wrapped around her favorite body pillow.  It would be best to let her sleep, for now.  Closing the door gently, Rosa moved off toward the pool._

Entering the Sixth Floor, I felt a little lost.  It had been at least two years since I was last here.  SoftandCute17 had decided to host the first ever pool party, the idea was sound, but at the time very few people showed up.  Other than me, only three others attended.  Afterwards, she admitted defeat and this area were never used again.  Most of my comrades considered the entire floor to be a waste of resources.  I had to remind them that we were an RP guild and that its purpose was necessary.  But as I walked in for the first time since coming to this new world, the pool had changed.  Pressing my nose to the glass, I could see so much.  The pool was fed by four silver lion statues, fountains of crystal clear water arched into the pool, fed by mountain streams, it looked colder then ice.  To the far side I could see the corridor that leads to the locker rooms and sauna area, on the opposite side of the room was a large bubbling hot tub.  I was lost at that moment, after my morning the very thought of boiling hot water was too much.  Running into the locker rooms, I realized that despite everything my locker was still here.  Like all the others it was unused, but I had purchased a racing swim suit just for the party.  In the real world I would have been too ashamed to even go out in public with them on, but in-game no one would care.  Stripping out of my clerical robes I attempted to put on the only piece of swimwear I owned.  After a lot of pulling and stretching I had to give up.  This latex beast was incredibly painful to wear.  I was acutely aware of how it pinched and the slow numbness it caused in my lower extremities.  I was about to put my robes back on when a moment of inspiration hit me.  The pool had been created for players like me and my friends, and since the abortive pool party everything had been left untouched since that day.  With no one else here, who would care if I went commando.  Leaving the locker rooms, and passing the Sauna, I practically sprinted for the warmth of the hot tub at the end of the room.  With a leap I was in, and slowly I sank to the bottom.  It felt like I was bathing in a sea of hot lava, all my aches and pains seems to just float away.

_Rosa – As I entered the pool area, I completely passed the locker rooms, since mothers abortive pool party no one has ever returned to it.  SoftandCute17 had claimed everything within as her territory and the domain of herself and her daughters.  Swimwear was not need when it was just women in attendance, besides none of the Ancients were around and Lord Cassius never even ventured into the Sixth Floor, which was a truly a shame.  Passing the sauna, Rosa, gracefully walked to the pool edge.  Dropping her towel by the edge she slowly walked down the stairs into the pool proper, the water was ice cold, and goose bumps covered her skin, bracing herself against the cold, she slowly entered the water fully.  With barely a ripple and nothing but a whisper of sound, Rosa began her laps.  With smooth and measured strokes she swiftly made it to the deep end of the pool, pausing for a moment, she could hear the hot tub bubbling, soon she thought fifty more laps, then a quick dip, she promised herself._

_On the forward end of her fifty first laps to the deep end, she reached for the edge of the pool, slipping seal-like from the water, she quickly moved to the hot tub.  Closing her eyes and holding her nose, she braced herself for the shock and leapt into the roiling water.  Ice cold skin meeting nearly boiling temperature water, shocked the air from her lungs.  But the shock of landing squarely on top of someone who was sitting at the bottom of the tub was an even greater shock.  Together their bodies slipped against each other, both struggling to stand at the same time.  Gaining her feet, Rosa quickly tried to clear her field of vision of water and hair, only to see…._

I was in heaven; I had found a series of pressure vents on the tub floor, which were very pleasant to sit on.  Completely submerged, I relaxed into a nearly comatose state of relaxation.  I did not feel the need to breathe, so I just stayed beneath the layer of bubbles.  I stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity, and then a weight landed on top of me.  It was a person, I could feel them sliding down my chest and stomach, whoever it was, their knee grazed my manhood, before meeting the floor.  Both of use struggled against the other to rise and gain our footing.  Standing to my height the water lapped at my thighs.  Blinking away the water I saw….

_Rosa – It was Lord Cassius, he was in his warrior form.  The very man I spent my nights pining for was standing before me, his hairless and naked form displayed before me.  As I took in everything about him and committed it to my memory, my eyes slowly roved over his body.  He was gorgeous; his physical form was flawless.  His wet blond hair draped across his shoulders, and his piercing blue eyes bored into me.  A flush blossomed across his face and chest as his eyes grew wide.  Then he started to rise, I felt myself flush across the chest as my heart started to pound, I could feel the blood pumping in my ears.  With great hesitation I debate whether to run and hide, or stay and apologize for landing on him.  But rational thoughts were too slow, and on some instinct I…._

Oh. My. God.  It was Rosa, I was struck completely dumb.  I knew I should look away, but I couldn’t, she was, everything.  I tried to look everywhere at once; I have never seen such beauty.  I live a lonely existence.  I never gained confidence with the fairer sex, and often retreated into YGGDRASIL to escape from my own existence.  But standing before me was a Goddess given form.  A thousand ideas raced through my mind, and a thousand more were equally dismissed.  I was terrified beyond reasonable thought, and excited beyond the realm of sanity.  My heart felt like a thousand bombs going off in succession.  My mouth gaped open in raw astonishment, as my body betrayed me.  Rational thought had fled and left me behind, then she….

**(Kissed me /** **_kissed Him_ ** **_)_ **

I had to run, every instinct told me I had to run, that only trouble would come from this.  But at the same time I was frozen in place, rooted to ground by an unknown force.  My perception of time slowed to a snail’s pace, but my heart hammered even faster.  As if by a will of their own my hands moved, my left reached around Rosa’s back and drew her in close to me.  My right hand moved down her back tracing her spine until finally gaining a firm grip on her left buttock.  In unison I drew her closer and pulled her up to me, so our eyes would be level with each other.  With a sharp intake of breath and a gasp-like moan issuing from her lips, I forcibly pulled her up to me.  Her diamond hard nipples rubbed across me chest leaving a trails of fire raised goose bumps.  I returned her kiss with one of my own, deep and lasting.  Our tongues dueled in passionate dominance.  While held firmly in my arms, Rosa wrapped her long strong legs around my hips bracing her against me.  Soon I felt a completely different humid heat against the flesh of my lower stomach.  My senses were going into overload, our mouths worked at devouring each other as our water cooled skin slid against each other.  My left hand joined the right in grabbing Rosa’s buttocks, kneading and pulling at her flesh.  I was so hard it was painful.  It felt as if my own skin was going to tear under the pressure.  As I arched upward toward Rosa’s feminine softness I could feel that very same humid heat upon my glans that I had felt earlier.  My heart was beating wildly threatening to smash its way out of my chest...

_Rosa – I did it, I really did it, I was kissing Lord Cassius and he was kissing me back.  A little voice in the back of my mind screamed at me to run away, that I had taken this too far.  I quashed it with my lust for him.  I reached up with my arms and wrapped myself around his neck in an effort to pull down to me.  But he had his own ideas.  I felt his hand moving across my back.  Just the simple thrill of being touched had me gasping for air.  Reaching just below my armpits, his left arm completely encircled my back and chest.  While his right hand slowly traced out my spine in a trail of feather light touches.  It tickled and caused me to twitch, before coming to rest on my butt cheek.  His entire hand firmly covered my left buttock and working in unison he pulled me against him and brought me to his eye level.  Looking into his eyes I saw a reflection of my own bestial lust.  As I ran my fingers through his hair, it was his turn to initiate.  It started with a deep lingering kiss and when we came up for air we began a duel of passionate kisses, locked together soon even our tongues were dueling for territory.  My nipples hardened as I dragged myself back and forth across his muscled chest, every bump of a rib or ripple of muscle sent shocking bursts of pleasure coursing through me.  This just drove me headlong into more frenzied lust.  I could feel his heart beating within his chest, just as mine beat in rhyme to his each like a mountain slide, wild and uncontrolled.  In an effort to shift my weight from his arms and to give myself some leverage I gracefully wrapped my legs around his hips._

_No longer having to support me, his left hand soon joined his right each clutching a portion of my butt.  I was so petite and his hand so large that he completely covering my cheeks.  His fingers squeezed and kneaded the flesh of my tight rump, as his grip grew firm his fingers pulled me apart.  Between the battle of our mouths and all of the sensations from our bodies moving and grinding together, I was dripping liquid arousal onto his stomach and in turn his manhood.  For the briefest of moments I felt a cool breeze against my puckered anus as he pulled my cheeks apart.  But soon I flinched and started as my eyes flew wide, one of his fingers had started to tease me outer ring._

_I broke from our kissing too look down between our sweat slick bodies.  He was rampant like a fat steel scimitar gripped between his legs.  And in the timeless moment I was afraid.  Everything was moving too fast, yes this was just like my dreams, but this would change things between us and other.  I felt shame, I had lusted for this moment and I wanted him to plunge his sword into me.  But this was wrong.  I wanted a deeper connection with him, not a fleeting tryst in a hot tub.  I wanted to be loved and to return his love with my own.  I had to get away, I didn’t want this, and with a twist…_

In a rush everything around me moved to catch up, there was a screech or a yelp, and then a choking cloud of smoke appeared around me.  This was (Smoke Bomb) an advanced Rogue technique.  It allowed for rapid escape while blinding the target.  And without my gear and currently in this polymorphic state, it worked rather well as a mood killer on me. 

_I ran I had too there had been no other recourse after what I had done.  That was so stupid of me, but it was so worth it.  I would never get another chance like that ever again.  Instinct told me to stay and take the next logical step.  But my rational mind screamed at me to run, I had no suit save for what I was born with, and I was ill prepared for what was happening.  Rationality won over instinct, I screeched like a little girl, and activated (Smoke Bomb).  I fled the pool area as fast as I could move.  I had to get away as fast and as far as I could.  I felt so ashamed, needed to think._

When the smoke cleared I was alone.  Rosa had fled leaving me standing there gasping like a drowned fish.  What had come over me, this wasn’t how I acted.  I was still trying to process what had just happened.  What did this mean?  I tried to slow my wildly beating heart.  Taking deep calming breathes, but I was coming down from a massive jolt of adrenaline.  For a moment I started to shiver.  Then it hit me, the slowing of time, the flight or fights response, had I entered a combat state.  I need to find Rosa and apologize for my behavior, but first I need a long and cold shower.  

_Rosa – I had no recourse for what I had done, my presumption for even attempting that was a crime.  I had to flee.  Mother had said that if we ever willfully acted on our baser instincts there would be trouble.  Quickly slipping into my best gear, I grabbed my best items and bolted.  If I could make it to the stables, before anyone noticed me, I could sneak out of the fortress and get away.  There was a large city on the other side of the great forest.  I could hide there, hidden within the teaming masses of people, she could wait the sordid incident out and when cooler heads prevail, she would return.  Maybe he would forgive her then for taking such liberties.  In the art of stealth, no one was her equal, and with practiced ease she snuck into the stables.  Stealthily she mounted her great fanged tiger, and they managed to sneak past all of the sentries without being caught.  Soon they were pounding through the woods.  A mantra keeps running through Rosa’s head, everything would be better; she just had to get away for a bit._

It was nearly three hours before I could leave the showers.  I kept replaying events over and over in my mind.  Had this been my fault, had I showed an improper amount of interest in her the other day in the throne room.  Had my own selfish curiosity, cause her to take my actions out of context.  I felt a hot flash of anxiety flash across me.  Before this world, in YGGDRASIL there was no need to even think this way, Rosa was a computer controlled NPC, she answered to her setting and programming.  She did not, live, or breathe.  Adult actions like what had just happened were forbidden on the server.  At that time I felt nothing towards the Thorns.  They were tools, pretty decorative tools, but nothing more.  But now, here in this strange world, everything was in a state of flux.  What had just happened in the hot tub that was forbidden?  But I could not forget what had taken place.  I would not allow myself to forget what had happened.  Regardless of how cold the water was streaming from my shoulders, my body felt like it was on fire.  Debating my actions within my own internal monologue, I continued to berate myself for losing control of the situation. 

A dissident voice from the darkness of my consciences spoke up.  But wasn’t she, his?  She was given to him by SoftandCute17, she had been a gift.  It was rude to return a gift.  She was his; he could do what he wishes.  _Where were these thoughts coming from?  They seemed surface unbidden within my mind.  Was this his other half, the dragon rearing itself from the darkness?_ No, Rosa was her own person.  It would be wrong to take advantage of her trust. _But she was so beautiful, so perfect, so many things that words didn’t even exist for them._   I had to finder her; I needed to apologize for what had happened.  Later after the briefing I would pull her aside, and, _I would pin her to the ground with my claws, and claim my rightful place in dominance over her._   NO!!!  With my willpower shaped like a knife, I stabbed on the darkness within my mind. **_“Get back beast, I will not let you have her!!!_**   The monster recoiled within me, slinking away, silent laughter of dark promises whispered back.

**End Chapter 6**

 


	7. The Outlands

**Chapter 7 – The Outlands**

Anna was having a good morning.  The bath had taken longer than she had hoped, this woman, Kiren was interesting to a point.  Once she settled down, they both started to enjoy each other’s company.  She had managed to learn a lot from this human.  The fortress, Tree of Roses, had appeared within a region known as the Outlands.  The territory was not very large, barely a thousand miles long and less the a hundred wide.  It consisted mostly of heavy woodlands and mountains.  Many ancient legends painted this region as the remains of a vast empire of ancient elves.  This region sat directly between the Slaine Theocracy and the Baharuth Empire.  The landscape was considered inhospitable to both kingdoms.  As such it had become home to rebels, criminals, and monsters.  Ancient ruins were scattered across the region, with small independent communities mixed in.  Those few peaceful communities that tried to eke out some form of life here had to deal with the constant threat of roving slavers, as it was common for slavers to raid the region for fresh slaves for the markets of the Baharuth Empire.  Non-humans regardless of gender or age fetched a premium price.  On the other side of the border sat the Slaine Theocracy, these zealots saw the outlanders as pests that needed to be wiped out.  Their pogroms were brutal and uncompromising many had been slaughtered in the name of their gods.

Kiren was a member of a third faction, known as the Adventures Guild.  Its members were considered an independent neutral force.  The Guild did not take the sides of nations.  Their job was to protect all people from the monsters that plagued the world.  Parties like the one that Kiren and her former friends made up, could take on contracts to patrol, hunt, raid, or track monster threats across all of the nations.  Also, if no contract was available parties could act as freelance explorers, scouting unexplored ruins in the search of treasure or undiscovered monsters.  The more tasks completed for the Guild the larger the rewards they could claim, after enough time they could move up in rank.  Ranks like copper plate were part of some sort of internal metallic based system denoting the progression of knowledge and skill sets.

Now that Kiren was at least presentable to go before the Red Lord, Anna needed to compile a detailed report for the Ancient One.  Kiren is roughly the same size as Rosa except for the chest and hips, so she had taken the liberty of ordering some proper clothing made for her charge.  The required items were ready by the end of her bath.  She was given a simple silk tunic, hard wearing leather breeches, and a pair of soft walking boots.  Undergarments, socks, and a belt, were added last minute.  Given what I had to work with I managed to at least make Kiren presentable.  The Tree of Roses doesn’t really wake up till midday.  Given that we had some time to kill, I decide to check on the people we rescued from the village.

Jeanette was not having a good morning, something had woken her early.  Her mouth tasted stale and dry, wiping drool from her chin, she attempted to snuggle deeper into her blankets.  She was still in her bed, Lord Cassius was still snuggled up next to me, nothing in her room looked out of place.  So what had wakened her?  Slowly sitting up, she wrapped a thick blanket over her shoulders.  There is a chill in the room, someone had opened her bedroom door and left it ajar.  Well it’s not just going to close itself, slowly and very reluctantly I left my bed, dragging my beloved with me.  Almost to the doorway, I step on something cold and wet.  What the hell?  There is a trail of wet foot prints in my carpet, Rosa!  Only she would be swimming at this hour, scanning the room, I spot a folded note on my desk.  Screw her and her pranks, tossing her note into the waste basket, I return to my bed with my beloved.  She is so getting a lecture later.  Zzzzzz.

This day did not start how I expected.  Finally leaving the showers I resolved to salvage it somehow.  Completely wired and with a depressing case of blue balls I got down to business.  Careful inventorying showed that the kitchens had enough materials to last at the minimum of two years.  This combined with materials found within the guild bank could be extended for another two years.  The matter of fresh water soon became a non-issue, all of the water effects on the first thru fifth floors appeared to be connected to some form of natural occurring aquifers.  As for the matter of gems and ore’s, such as those for crafting weapons or armor, would be harder to come by.  Sigrid informed me that the mountains in this region could supply much of what we were looking for, but it would take some serious effort to harvest them.  More concerning to myself was the reserves of Alchemical Ingredients, at most I could craft maybe fifty high grade potions of various types.  After consulting with Leona, I learned distressingly that many of my high-end herbs were not know to her.  But many of the lower grade plants went by different names and could be easily found.

While the Tree of Roses, had a lot of powerful infrastructure, there was little we could do without a constant supply of materials.  I pondered these issues well into the afternoon.  Upon returning to my floor, I was struck with an idea.  Walking out into the office, many of the staff either sat with nothing to do or chatted in small groups around the room.  They were all changelings, shape shifters.  And their communication skills were the best within the guild hall.  Gathering them all together I presented my idea to them.  They would act as extensions of the Tree of Roses.  My plan was to send them out in groups of two or three into the wilderness around the fortress.  They were to scout out settlements and villages, first to observe and learn of about the people there.  Then if they were friendly, they were to interact with them, with the hope of gaining both their trust and possibly a list of trade goods.  If we could establish a network of trade throughout the region, the Tree of Roses might thrive again.  Later after I spoke with the thorns I would send the Corps to work.  In the meantime I had some interior decorating to do.

A cacophony of chimes and bells echoed off my walls as my alarm went off.  I still felt the effects of having my sleep interrupted by Rosa, but I was awake now and my evening could proceed as normal.  Calmly I bathed with scented oils that I knew Lord Cassius would be drawn too.  I had chosen a white silk Grecian over-robe that was edged with gold patterning and a pair of calf-high laced leather sandals.  Finally dressed I weaved my lustrous raven black hair into a tight braid, careful to weave in pieces of golden thread and babies breathe flowers.  After a few touch ups, I am ready.  I had ample time enough time to get to the eighth floor.  There was no need to rush.

Anna could not understand Kiren’s strange reaction to the courtyard village on the first floor.  To her everything was some sort of wondrous sight.  It was odd walking the streets of my home now.  Gone was the frantic activity that until a few days ago was so common place.  The first floor castle was subdued, other than the ambient sounds of animals or the rustle of the wind in the trees.  NPC’s still went about their daily routines, bakers made biscuits, rolls, and pastries.  And the air was redolent with the smell of fresh breads.  Everyone had a role to play, tanners made leather, and smiths worked glowing pieces of metal.  The laughter of children playing mixed with the background hum of conversations.  But where once thousands of members of the Tree of Roses would loiter and trade, now only a handful of recent immigrants moved about.

_Kiren – This city was massive, who knew that the Outlands contained such a massive and powerful kingdom. When I had awoken in that strange room and then subjected to the humiliating bath I assumed I was in an Inn of some sort.  The outfit I was given to wear, was astounding, it actually felt good to wear.  Not big and baggy or itchy, it even smelled pleasant.  This was no inn but a Temple of Clerics, and it was within the walls of a massive city.  It was as if the builders of this place had carved the city from the very mountain itself.  This elf princess, Anna, led me around like I was a favored pet.  I don’t know if she wanted to shock me with the wonders of her home or parade me around to everyone she knew.  But it was clear that everyone knew her on a first name basis.  And no one treated her like a princess, some people would incline their heads in greeting or do a shallow bow, but that was all.  She was royalty; by the gods she even wore a crown of gold upon her head._

_We walked from shop to shop asking good day.  I could smell fresh bread and it made my mouth water, there had to be over a hundred homes and businesses here, each was made with massive interlocking stone blocks cut to perfection.  This town had an odd symmetry to it, there were only five patterns of homes and they were all exactly alike even with outside decorations, like plants or fences.  Also all the surrounding businesses were the same structure built over and over again.  The only odd buildings that stood out as unique were the barracks with its stable of monsters, the temple we had come from, and an odd looking structure with a ringing bell at is apex.  We made a full circle of the town within the walls.  And what massive walls they were, I couldn’t see the stone blocks it was made of, even running my hand across the surface I could find no edges.  And the wall was smooth, it would be impossible to scale.  They stood taller than every structure in the city, save for the keep that abutted up to the mountain side.  Knights is golden plate mail walked the parapets, ever watchful for danger._

_Completing our circle back at the temple, Anna took a side path down and around to a high stone entrance.  It looked like a crypt, but it was beautiful, the stones were carved in runes, and it looked like precious metals and gems had been inlayed around the edges.  Despite the artistic nature of it, a feeling of dread suffused my very being, only death awaited me within those walls.  Perhaps sensing my dread, Anna, giggled and said my friends from the adventures guild were within guarded by creatures called Grave Wardens.  Her lord and master wanted to see if they could be resurrected and returned to life.  I had heard that such a thing was possible, but the magic was very rare and expensive to obtain.  Passing the threshold, we entered the tome, a shrine to some fallen lord rested along the back wall bedecked in gold.  But in the center of the room were my friends, Alburn the Noble, looking as regal as ever in his armor.  There was Zarola, she was as mean as she was strong, her axe rested at her side.  I move to touch her face only to realize she had been decapitated.  Across from them were the twins, Ulan and Banji, or what was left of them.  Their bodies had been savaged by fire, nearly unrecognizable.  Weeping at her loss, she began to beg Anna to help her, promising anything she could, even her very life and existence.  Anna just pushed her away and started talking to the room, but no one else was there.  But something responded, I didn’t recognize the language but something was talking.  Anna explained that these were the Grave Wardens, apparently two massive golden statues that stood guard over the room.  At least I hoped they were statues.  She kept up a running translation for my benefit.  But when she mentioned nonchalantly that it would cost 400,000 gold to bring my friends back to life, I nearly fainted dead away.  That was an impossible sum, even the Adventurers Guild combined couldn’t pull that sum together, I don’t think even the kingdoms that neighbored the Outlands could gather that much gold.  But I need to do something, anything for my friends.  I am not ashamed to say I begged and pleaded with Princess Anna to help me.  I offered myself up as an eternal servant or slave too her.  Then with a rumble like distant thunder she started laughing, and then did something unnatural.  She reached into nothing, literally nothing.  It was as if her hand passed into some other place, it was not here, and it looked like everything up to her wrist had simply disappeared.  She moved as if she was rummaging around for something, before pulling out a bag of gold the size of my head.  Just as I was about to question her, the room was drowned in light and sound._

While Kiren had been in our care, the villagers had honored their dead as customs demanded.  Not being part of the community, her adventure comrades had not been dealt with.  Hearing of this the Ancient One had brought them back to the fortress and interned them within the Mausoleum for “testing”.  Although this world was similar to YGGDRASIL in so many ways.  The differences were pronounced, only through experimentation could my Lord, learn more of this world.  Originally the mausoleum had been created to honor an Ancient, TerribleToes22.  He was one of the founding members of the Tree of Roses.  A plaque detailing the life and exploits of TerribleToes22 had been placed along the back wall over a large empty stone coffin.  He had tragically died in his sleep, due to an unforeseen brain disorder.  Over time it became a home to the guilds only two Grave Wardens.  Level 60 NPC’s, Grave Wardens were not combative monsters.  Their usefulness centered on their ability to assess the dead, and to determine how much gold it would take to resurrect them.  Approaching the entrance to the tomb complex with Kiren in tow, I told her of the Ancient Ones intentions for her kin.  At first she was appalled at the idea of disturbing the bodies without her permission.  And she did not understand what a grave warden was.  But with the possibility of resurrection, she fell to her knees begging for help.  I tried to remove her from the hem of my robes without damaging her.  I could only say that the choice was not mine to make, drying her tears, and trying to reinstate a measure of calm, we crossed the threshold.  It was much colder within the mausoleums walls, despite the presence of torches burning along the walls, our breath fogged the air.

Along the outer perimeter stone sarcophaguses sat, each carved with icons of strength, honor, or duty.  In the center of the room sat a square of four marble alters, upon which lay Kiren’s comrades.  The wardens had cleaned and prepared the bodies, they were dressed in repaired clothing, armor, and other gear.  Personal items and weapons were ritually laid out around each of the bodies.  There was a shaggy blonde man in leather and chainmail, a short sword was held in a two-handed repose on his chest.  A small wooden buckler rested at his feet.  There was no apparent sign of injury or cause of death apparent, maybe he was stabbed from behind?  To his left was a heavily muscled young woman, with dark blue-black hair, one half of her head was shaved and a prominent scar crossed her skull.  An unwieldy executioner’s axe and an amulet of silver were resting alongside her, upon closer examination her head had been severed cleanly, with a single blow from a weighted blade.  Give her choice of weapon there was every possibility that her own weapon had killed her.  Across from them were the children, at least they looked like children.  Age is hard to tell sometimes with humans.  Each was short in height, and very fine boned.  One had long tresses either of brown or a dirty blonde hair.  Both bodies were horribly burned from fire, those parts that had survived, had been damaged.  Someone evil had taken their time with these two.  Between gasps of horror and a futile attempt to control her stomach, Kiren spoke of these two as twin sisters.  A duo of archers, they had been the newest recruits before traveling to the Outlands.

Standing over us was we inspected the dead, the wardens watched.  I had noticed them immediately but had chosen to ignore them for the time being.  Standing like golden dog-faced statues of ancient gods, one carried a set of scales and a single feather in hand.  The other wielded a massive ritually curved blade.  The first was to measure the weight of a person’s soul for the cost of resurrection.  The latter was too protected against curses or necromantic powers.  As if speaking to the open room, I greeted them.  Kiren just looked at me strangely as if I had lost my mind.  But when they responded, she cowered just a little more than normal.  While they could understand all tongues spoken in YGGDRASIL, they could only speak their own language of the dead.  After careful examinations of the bodies, they believed that they could return them to the realm of the living.  What’s more Tier Ten healing magic that was normally to be used within the guild would restore the bodies to perfect health, but may result in a permanent loss of some experience.  The cost for the resurrection of these four would be one hundred thousand gold pieces.  I wanted to clarify to be sure.  I had prior knowledge that to resurrect an Ancient One, it cost around one hundred million gold pieces per individual.  The Tree of Roses could easily resurrect the entire council of Ancients Ones several times over if needed.  Making sure not to neglect my charge, I kept up a running translation for Kiren’s benefit.  She was shocked that it would require 400,000 gold to resurrect her kin.  I had to hide a smile at her response, swaying on her feet with a look of utter despair.   In this world gathering such a staggering amount of gold would take several lifetimes, time that Kiren did not have.

What started as a rasping chuckle and slowly turned into a throaty roar of laughter.  The wardens broke ranks, with a brief retort from the guardian warden to his compatriot, their joke was revealed.  It would not cost so much gold, they had fibbed on the price.  A mere four thousand for all four was all that was needed.  They were so low in levels that even that seemed like an overstatement.  Such pittance was nothing to trouble my Lord over, such a bother.  Pulling Kiren to her feet, I tried to dry her tears.  She would not have to pay such a cost.  I would do it for her, as a gift to her.  For my trouble I was awarded a bright and hopeful smile.  But I warned her that she would owe me for this.   With a nod I gave the wardens the signal to begin.  With light and sound the Wardens got to work…

As Jeanette’s feet came to rest on the eighth floor, she dispelled the magic she had used.  Looking around the entry way and seeing no one about she laughed.  Ha I’m first to the Red Lords chambers, those two are going to be in so much trouble.  I will be able to hold this over them for a while.  I wonder what Lord Cassius is doing at the moment, maybe we could finally get some alone time together, hmm.  Maybe he’s still asleep?  I could get some measurement done for a new full size body pillow.  This one was going to be a groom.  As eldest of the Rose Princesses, it was her destiny to marry Lord Cassius.  Besides her sister Anna, wasn’t even interested in men, she only showed affection because our mother had ordered her to.  And Rosa, she was such a willful and unruly child, completely without the grace and lacking in any sort of feminine endowment like her sisters.  Even the Red Lord saw her as nothing more than an annoying child.  In her esteemed opinion Lord Cassius would make the perfect husband, I could be his queen forever and ever.

As Jeanette moved out from the offices of the Diplomat Corp she noticed a distinct change, gone was the pile of discarded armor and weapons.  And her lord’s collection of herbs and alchemical ingredients had been removed from the chamber as well.  The entire platform area, formerly the resting place of the Red Lord, was covered in treasure.  Coins of every shape and size, mostly gold, was piled two to three meters high.  Treasure items in the form of rare gems, potions, or magical items were scattered into the mix.  Given the area covered and the depth of the stack, there had to be several million pieces of gold present here.  It was all so impractical, this is what the guild back was for, had something happened, and incident similar to the mail boxes?  She had not heard of any such occurrence.  Just then the pile moved, coins rustled and slid against each other.  From the center of the platform, a shape began to rise from the pile.  It was Lord Cassius, what was going on?  He looked different, maybe she should…

O my god.  This felt so comfortable.  Logically this idea should not have worked at all.  Resting on a giant pile of hardened pieces of metal should hurt severely, or at least be uncomfortable.  This had taken a lot of work to pull off.  Unloading my bank reserves from inventory had been a bit of trial and error.  But I managed to figure it out in the end.  And once the mound of treasure was in place, I managed to spread it out and move it into a more comfortable position simply by hand/paw/claw.  Many of the rare, ultra-rare, or divine level items that I possessed were mixed into the pile as well.  Strangely even though I spread it around and moved stuff about, I still instinctually knew where everything was placed.  As I worked I began to notice a subtle change around me.  The gold coin appeared to absorb and retain the ambient heat from my body.  This in turn raised the ambient air temperature of my chambers.  As a byproduct of what I was doing or by some interaction I didn’t know about yet, the fountain of magical energy began to produce humidity, motes of magically charged vapor began to permeate the chamber, and it was a rather pleasant effect.  With the heat haze coming off of the gold and charged moisture in the air, it felt like I was back home during the summer months.  As I got down on my belly and wallowed in the mess I had created, I burrowed a little, sort of like what children do when they are in a pile of dry leaves.  The end result was like being covered by an electric blanket, I could have stayed like that for ever, had someone not made the distinctive sound of clearing their throat.

I managed to weasel the tip of my tongue out of the gold pile, and was greeted by the faint bitter tang of Jeanette.  She smelled strongly of a recent bath and too much perfume, as if trying to cover up her natural scent.  I raised my head and in doing so started a small avalanche of coin.  I was not angry at her, but I was not happy to see her.  Of all the thorn princesses she was my least favorite.  SoftandCute17 had always teased and said a good ruling Lord need a queen.  And as an RP guild this was a logical step within the storyline we as a guild had built up to.  Jeanette was everything that SoftandCute17 had thought approximated a queen.  She had a noble bearing as if she was breed for the role, with refined manners and sense of style.  At all times she had to look the part of a noble, only the gaudiest jewels or the finest dresses for her.  Unless ordered to Jeanette wouldn’t even venture to the lower levels of the fortress, let alone travel beyond its walls.  But with all her programming and settings to be a prim and proper creature of Nobility, her attitude was that of an entitled bitch more than anything else.  Her dialogue was mainly made up of belittling comments about her youngest sister and her apparent disregard for “proper” behavior.  When paired with a nearly obsessive attitude towards my character she was more trouble than she was worth.  At times she would even correct me in matters of etiquette or if a mistake was made.  Since the reality of my world had shifted to this new environment, it was my greatest hope that with life being granted to the NPC’s, all of this would change.  

**End Chapter 7**


	8. Ideas & Armor

**Chapter 8 – Ideas and Armor**

“Your early Jeanette, is there some urgency that you have to report?”  A rather gruff greeting, but I was not yet at easy with her presence.

“No milord, nothing has changed within the guild fortress since last we met.  And you have not assigned me any tasks that were of specific nature or importance.”

This was true, since waking up in the strange and wonderful world, I had been busy.  With my own tasks foremost in my mind I had not thought to include Jeanette.  Since collecting the survivors of the village attack I had not even seen her about the fortress.

“Where are your sisters?  They should be here soon, shouldn’t they?”

“Milord, Princess Annabelle is collecting that ragtag band of so-called adventures you collected from the village raid.  She has been spending a lot of time on the first floor, slumming with those peasants and has not returned to her rooms since we brought those useless rats here.  As for Princess Rosaline, that little witch has a beating coming.  That tramp had the gall to wake me after her time in the pool this morning, and left water everywhere.  She needs to learn to stop being so impulsive and act more like a proper lady.”

So Rosa had gone to her sister after our encounter in the hot tub and Jeanette clearly didn’t approve of Rosa’s behavior, and harshly so.  Too harshly, Rosa was not to blame.  If it hadn’t been for my actions during the briefing none of this would have happened.

“You are to do nothing to Rosa, yell if you must, but do not blame her for her behavior.  She is young, it is expected that she is to be a little thoughtless given the situation.  Give her some time and we will talk about this together.”

“As you wish, milord.”

Good, she may not approve of Rosa’s actions, but she won’t punish her for what she had done.  Excellent, this will give Rosa time to cool her emotions and collect her mind.  With her sisters help we could clear the air on this matter and move on.

“Jeanette I need you to contact your sisters, the Diplomatic Corp, the leaders from the village we brought here, as well as the floor guardians and have everyone meet me in the Garden in six hours time, I believe the band shelter should be sufficient space.  I have a plan and I wish to share it.  Now if you will excuse me I need to change.”

Excellent, it wouldn’t do to scare, Kiren again.  I needed her for a portion of my plan as well as the village leaders.  Plus I needed to see how they would react to what I had planned.  As soon as Jeanette had left the room, I activated [Polymorph – Humanoid] and switched to my default human warrior the peon.  If I was to blend in with people here I would need to look like them.  Opening my inventory, I started selecting my adventuring gear, items, weapons, and armor, too equip.  And it all ended in a pile at my feet.  On rather interesting change to this new world was that of physically wearing gear and items.  Before it was a simple matter of selecting a piece of gear to be worn, although many aspects of YGGDRASIL were still present, getting dressed was actually a thing now.  Back home I’m was a mid-level tech writer, just an everyday salary man.  I don’t know how to put on real armor, even in books that I had read, spoke of knights requiring assistance to get put together.  Some of the garments were straight forward, but a lot more was not.  Thinking on this I had a moment of inspiration earlier when we took the War Mammoths to the village, Rosa and Jeanette had their armor on, maybe they could help.  Well Jeanette at least, I didn’t want to entertain thoughts of me in my skivvies in close proximity to Rosa.

**_(Message – Jeanette)_ ** _“Jeanette could you please come back to my chambers I am in desperate need of your help.”_

Such odd behavior, Lord Cassius has never interceded in the affairs of herself or her sisters.  And why would he wish to be lenient on Rosaline, she deserves to be punished for what she did.  More so why did he want to be part of her scolding, this was all very confusing.  Gathering the Corp and the Guardians would be a simple task.  With the mere mention of a summons from the Ancient One they would rush to obey.  The village leaders were a different matter, The Tree of Roses guild hall had been built to support the operations of its members and act as a defensive structure.  Since the village leaders were not official members of the guild many of the floor traps and pop-monsters would attack them on sight.  The thought of teleportation was questionable as well, Jeanette did not have that ability herself, and unless Lord Cassius gave her a scroll to mimic the effect this was not an option.  Maybe the first floor garrison could escort the village leaders to the Garden.  Annabelle was still on the first, she would get her to take care of this little matter.  As for Rosaline, screw her, a little note pinned to her bedroom door would be all the warning she would get, it would poetic justice when she showed up late to Lord Cassius’s gathering.  Just as she entered the fourth floor, Lord Cassius messaged her.  Hmm, he sounded desperate, this was new.  What is going on today?

After getting a hold of Jeanette, I started with the equipping the items that were fundamentally easier to put on.  All of my adventure gear is Divine-Level items, save for my armor, shield, and sword which are all World-Level items.  In YGGDRASIL mechanics had allowed for a wide range of player creativity in the creation of items, both in overall design as well as naming the items.  Since Tree of Roses was an Role Playing Guild, we had a staunch rule that player made items should reflect the RP of the guild environment.  So I started off with the basics “Undergarments of Staunching”, to protect against bleed effects and to enhance regeneration.  Over these I added “Pantaloons of the Griffin”, which were very comfortable and enhanced my movement and allowed me to negate staggering or knockdown conditions.  For my feet I had a pair of “Boots of the Black Cat”, made from fine black leather and literally the softest most comfortable shoes I had ever worn.  These boots made it so any damage resulting from a fall was reduced to the minimum amount, which in turn was negated by my (Physical Resistance) skill.  About my hips, I wore a “Belt of the Wild”, a rare Divine-Level item that many players of YGGDRASIL ignored.  The belt had a drawback; it only worked with racial-level characters that had the (Polymorphic) ability.  And there for could not be equipped by a majority of players.  But in return the belt made it so that all gear worn by the player changed with them when using the (Polymorphic) ability.  With this equipped I could switch between forms or even revert to my Dragon form and everything would stay equipped. In YGGDRASIL, items that could not be rendered on a character model just disappeared, visually hidden, but still active.  I didn’t know what would happen here in this new world.  I was just stripping off my peasant tunic when Jeanette walked in.

 **Holy Shit** , he is half naked and his pants are open. Oh my god, I am staring, should I look away.  His human warrior form is very handsome, but I still prefer the glossy red scales.  Why has he called me here?  Does he want me for bed-sport, it would be unseemly since we are not formally wed, but the very idea of sharing herself with Lord Cassius was too good to pass up.  As I approached he did not move to cover himself, rather he spread his arms to the side and asked me how he looked.  Giving in, I lightly ran the tips of my fingers over the bronzed flesh of his stomach and back, causing him to recoil.  Is he ticklish?

“Milord Cassius, you are very handsome, for a human.  But I prefer you in red scales.”

“I need your help in putting on my armor, since I can no longer do it the old fashioned way.”

“As you wish milord.”

Damn, I was hoping for something more.

With Jeanette’s arrival, I could finally get this task done with.  The last undergarment, my “Shirt of the Martyr” was next.  This item allowed for me to negate the damage to a nearby ally by transferring it to myself.  Between my massive (Physical Resistance) and my natural regeneration, this had never been an issue.  With the basics done, and a little more protection from Jeanette’s ticklish hands, we could get the important stuff.  My armor was a World-Level item, one of my first I ever quested for.  Rather unimaginatively I named it “Dragons Plate”, consisting of a barbute, vambraces, greaves, cuisses, faulds, pauldrons, and a complete cuirass both front and back with an additional plackart.  “Dragon’s Plate” has a defensive rating that is off the charts and with massive statistical increases to my HP and Resistances; it is truly an exceptional suit of armor.  But it becomes a World-Level item because of its singular special ability.  (Magical Transference) is a passive ability that is always active as long as the armor is being worn.  In basic terms any magical attack directed at myself, either as the target or within the area of effect, that exceeds my Magical Defense is converted into pure healing energy equal to the amount it exceeded by.  Essentially, any magic caster that was sufficiently powerful enough to hurt me would instead heal me with every attack.  Even with Jeanette’s help it took us three hours to completely equip the armor.  Lastly I pulled the mid-level item from my inventory, nothing as impressive as my other gear.  The “Amulet of the Silvered Eye” cast an illusion spell on the wearer, making everything on me visually look like the common gear of a low level player.  It was a tier three item, and anyone with a decent perception or magic of tier three or better could counter it.  Kiren and her people were not of this caliber, at least not yet.  I sheathed my sword “World Breaker” on my hip and slung my shield “Vigil Eternal” across my back, neither was needed at the moment, but I didn’t feel complete unless I equipped them as well.

 

After such a torturous process of getting into my armor the idea of having to do this again and again was distressing.  I would not have one of the thorns close at hand all the time, it would be necessary for me to find a squire to help me in the future.  

Dismissing Jeanette back to her duties and I went back to working on my plan for the Tree of Roses.  The Thorn Princesses as well as the Diplomatic Corps had already gathered a large amount of local information.  Both before I had regained my senses as well as after the fact.  This forested region was unclaimed territory, nestled between three major empires.  Sort of like a buffer zone or no man’s land.  Despite the signs of local habitation both within the forested woodlands as well as the surrounding mountains, there was no sign of wider governance.  Many of the Diplomatic Corps had returned, reporting of overgrown ruins scatter around the region.  Some of which were extremely extensive both in physical size and area covered.  After deliberations on and the use of some third-tier magic we were able to determine that an extensive civilization controlled this region sometime within the last thousand years.  Judging from the semi-destroyed state of the ruin, it was my guess that a mighty and terrible war had destroyed this civilization. 

With basic scout information on the surrounding villages I reasoned that no more than twenty or thirty thousand people lived in the buffer zone.  There was the possibility of more people, considering that much of the mountain communities had extensive sub terrain areas.   Considering my home town had about five times as many people just in the city limits, this was a very small population to work with.  But considering the proximity of three large empires, we would have to establish diplomatic inroads with each in turn.  But other than basic names I had next to nothing to work with on these.  Returning to a rough map of the local region I began to plot out waypoints and areas of interest.  The dwarves to the north obliviously worked with and exported a vast mineral wealth harvested from the mountains they inhabited.  Just how refined this ore was had yet to be tested or clarified.  Of the forest villages only the ones located further to the south were able to sustain any true form of agriculture due to the abundance of flat easily accessible land.  Those villages located within the great forest itself sustained themselves through a combination of hunting and gathering as well as woodcrafts for trade.

As I sifted through scattered piles of reports, several interesting quirks kept popping up.  First off all of the forest villages had a very diverse population.  While humans and elves made up a majority of each village, other demi-humans were scattered into the mix.  This included some monstrous humanoid races as well.  At the same time monstrous races like goblin, orc, troll, and ogre while found in groups throughout the region were not present within any of the communities.  A second and more worrisome problem was the level of distrust exhibited by the local populations.  These people were very afraid of others, previous contact with member of the Diplomatic Corps had resulted in less than promising reactions, and in some cases outright hostility.  

No one had been injured in these attacks but my Doppelgangers had been able to determine that all of the aggressors were incredibly weak individuals.  There were several reports of people actively attempting to hide either themselves or others when strangers entered the villages.  The third and final aspect that worried me was the overall health of this regions inhabitant.  Many villagers showed signs of predation.  And many others showed signs of a harsh and brutal life.  If I had never encountered that band of slavers I would have thought these people to be war survivors.  Instead, they were the prey, harvested like wheat and stolen away to be used by others.  This very conclusion made my blood boil.  I had every intention of restoring the Tree of Roses to a place of power.   But without my player base to assist this would be like rebuilding the entire guild from the ground up again.  This would be a slow process, starting with tentative relations and overturns to the locals of this unclaimed territory.  Once embassies had been established, agreements for trade and non-aggression treaties could be signed.  With even enough time I hope to establish alliances and mutual defense treaties.  Of the three neighboring empires I would hold judgment on.  Each would have to be investigated thoroughly before making inroads.

Little did I know that events were spiraling out of control and soon I would be sorely tested in this new world?

End Chapter 8

 


	9. Meetings Lost and Found

**Chapter 9 – Meetings Lost and Found**

Rosa slowly opened her swollen eyes and began to wonder what had happened.  I did not remember falling asleep or making camp.  I had been riding my Great-Fang through the forest, fleeing from the very person I had chosen to love.  My head felt sluggish, as if I had been drinking too much.  As I tried to sit up my muscles cramped and refused to work properly.  I hurt everywhere it felt like I had been in a battle and lost.  I could feel bruises on my arms, legs, and chest.  Even my face was swollen.  Rolling over onto my back, the wooden floor felt abrasive on my skin.  My skin?  Shock, flooded me with adrenaline.  Trying to clear my mind, I push my senses into focus.  My armor was gone, so were my weapons, I had been stripped from the waist up, and my breeches had been cut apart leaving most of my legs bare.  The tattered remains barely covered my hips, I breathed a little easier when I realized my underwear was intact, exposed to the eyes of others but intact.  But more worrisome was the iron bands around my ankles and wrists as well as an iron collar around my neck.  I tried to (Message) my sisters, nothing happened.  I tried my other abilities, even spells, none of them worked.  My stat enhancements had been removed as well.  This was very bad.

As my vision cleared, I saw that there were three other women with me.  Two humans, both were very young, and in much worse shape than me.  One was bleeding from dozens of small cuts on her chest and legs and both had been beaten badly.  They sobbed quietly in the corner holding each other.  The other woman was an elf like me sort of.  We shared similar racial features, but she was much older and had a darker in complexion, her eyes were crimson orbs.  And those eyes were watching me intently.  Stupidly I asked,

“Where are we, and why can’t I use any of my abilities or spells?”

“Foolish little girl, we’re in a slavers wagon.  These bastards are the worst of the worst.  They hauled you into camp a couple of hours ago, must have ambushed you like the rest of us.  Given your pretty looks and the fancy armor you were wearing, you must be something special.  The slave master likes to break in the new girls, letting his men have a few rounds of beating and raping a girl until she is incoherent, like those two in the back.  All they did to you was cut up your pretty cloths and hit you a little before slapping you in iron and tossing you in here.  As for your abilities and spells, you’re and elf child didn’t your parents ever teach you about cold-iron and how it effects us.”

This was not good, I had to escape, but where were we.  Clearly we were in a cage made of iron that was in turn mounted on a wagon; there were other wagons with us all containing similar cargo.  Each wagon in turn had two men in dark cloths driving it.  And there were a number of outriders and men on foot around us.  While this wagon train was not moving very fast, the dark elf had said I had been brought here hours ago.  How far had we travelled?  I could out run all of them, if I could get lose.  I reached for the collar about my neck it was just crude iron easy enough to pull it apart, this was my first mistake.  It was like liquid lightning, my hands were trapped holding the collar.  My muscles wouldn’t release, pain coursed up my arms, I could hear a shrill piercing scream, and only after a few minutes did I realize it was me that was screaming.  My eyes felt like they were melting there was a flash of light, followed by swift darkness.

I awoke sometime later.  The sky had darkened to night.  I was back on the wooden floor and everything hurt again, the very action of breathing was agony.  My only company was the old dark elf.  The humans were nowhere to be seen, but I could hear their screams nearby, they were not pleasant.  I had to get away, despite the pain, I had to try.  Our cage was not guarded, and the lock looked simple enough.  I just needed to reach through the bars and open it.  This was to be my second mistake.  I was on fire, it crawled across my body, and I could feel my skin burn and charcoal.  My hair incinerated, as my skin was destroyed and the flesh beneath begin to cook.  My nerves burned out one by one as my body slowly died around me, I could smell meat cooking, and it was me.  Through it all I could not look away as my eyelids had burned off and as the fire and heat reached my lungs, I began to choke and sputter.  Wordlessly I begged for death, but was denied its embrace.  It went on and on, never ending, I went blind as my eyes finally boiled in their sockets, and then I knew no more…

Wow, this little elf child is tougher than she looks.  Most new girls give up after trying the collar, but she tried to get out of the cage as well.  At least she had stopped screaming, but she still twitches and moans.  Her skin was covered in sweat and her hair was matted.  The illusion is horrible and unending, my own had been a slow death at the mandibles of tens of thousands of fire ants as they consumed my flesh.  She had heard that one of the humans had been drowned, and the other, well they had forced her to experience it several times, her mind had been a broken.  The humans were not here to witness the elf child and her torment, they were tonight’s entertainment.  Her crimson eyes allowed her to see though the darkness of night with ease.  It would take more attempts of escape before this elf child was broken, either that or she would die trying…

Arthris walked into the Garden, it had been a long time since I had done so.  Flight had become my standard mode of transportation.  Everything was just as I remembered it.  If anything it was all the more real.  Now after the shift in realities this place was more alive and vibrant than ever before.  Both scents and sounds filled the air, this place now truly looked and felt like a vacation resort it was intended to be.  Maybe in the future I would spend more time here.  I had always enjoyed vacations at a hotel pool or spa.  As I had requested everyone was gathered in the band shelter.  A large contingent from the first floor garrison protectively surrounded Sigrid and his fellow village leaders.  Anna had brought Kiren and what appeared to be her recently dead companions.  This was an excellent sign, the resurrection magic had been successful, and that was one less thing for me to worry about.  All of the Floor Guardians were here as well, all except for Rosaline.  There were two possibilities for this.  Considering how churlish Jeanette’s attitude towards her younger sister it is very possible she never informed Rosa of this gathering, another possibility was that Rosa was still very pissed off at me from our encounter at the pool.  I suspected expected the latter to be the truer of the two.

 **(Message – Floor Guardians & Diplomatic Corps**) **_“Everyone listen up, regardless of what is said tonight, hold your questions till we can speak in private.”_**

“Greetings everyone, for those who don’t know me, my name is Arthris, for this meeting I speak with the authority of the Ancient One Lord Cassius.  In his wisdom he has decreed that the Tree of Roses shall expand its boundaries further into the area.  But we of the Tree of Roses will need help from our new guests.  Mr. Sigrid we need to know of the towns in this area and anything you can tell us of the people of this land.  Once this task in complete, the ladies of the Diplomatic Corps, will team up and try to open up a dialogue with each in turn.  We need supplies and commerce to return to the Tree of Roses if it is to survive in this land.  Floor Guardians, Lord Cassius will have a task for each and every one of you, in due time.  Now then, Kiren, by the orders of Lord Cassius, I and the Lady Anna will accompany you and your friends to your Adventurers Guild.  As envoy, I must enter into discussion with those in charge.  Is the travel distance far, will we need mounts?”

“To the nearest guild hall, it is three maybe four days on horseback, but Sir I beg your indulgence, my friends are still in shock over recent events, might we have a day or two to recover our wits.”

“Understandable, please take your time and rest, we will leave in two days, I will arrange for mounts and supplies.  That will be all for now, please enjoy the hospitality of the Gardens.  I will talk to each of you tomorrow.”

As the group slowly broke apart and move away, I pulled Anna and Jeanette off to the side.  Starring daggers at Jeanette I demanded.  “Where is Rosa?”

“I left a note for her in her apartments, when she did not arrive I tried to (Message) her, she did not respond.” I she quelled under my gaze.

Speaking quickly Anna chimed in.  “I too have tried to (Message) her, with no success.”

Hmm, well I had figured on Jeanette not informing her sister, and I have been proven wrong.  She must really be pissed off at me.  To confront her at this point would only make matters worse, best to give her time to calm down.

“Ladies, don’t worry about this.  She just needs time to calm down and clear her head.  I think she is still mad at me over our encounter in SoftandCute17’s pool area.”

Now that confused them, it was clear that neither of them knew what I was talking about.  But I don’t understand, Jeanette had said earlier that Rosa had woken her after using the pool?  Hadn’t they discussed everything then?

“What incident milord?”  They responded in near unison.

“I did not sleep very well last night, and was feeling out of sorts.  So I decided to use the hot tub in the pool facilities that SoftandCute17 had built.  There was, I mean to say, we had a rather close personal encounter in the hot tub.  I fear I may have deeply offended Rosa, for she left me in a cloud of smoke and ran away.  Surely she spoke to you about this, you said she woken you after using the pool?”

Anna looked like she was going to laugh, but Jeanette looked thoroughly annoyed.

“Milord, Rosa only left a note, saying she was going for a ride, and soaked my floors with pool water.  I pray that nothing inappropriate happened in the pool?”

I could only shrug in reply to her question.  I honestly didn’t know what to do, if events had progressed further then they had.  But the very thought made my pulse quicken.  Something of my thoughts must have bled thru, for Jeanette looked even angrier than before.

Anna was smiling and giddily punched the air.  “Good job little sister.  Rosa finally took some initiative and acted on her impulsive nature.  I see nothing wrong with this, she is young and you obviously have shown your interest in her.  And as Jeanette said, she went for a ride.  She’s fine, give her a day or two to calm down, and she will come back.  Than we can talk to her and find out what is going on.”

Anna apparently saw everything as a good thing, and that mine and Rosa’s encounter was nothing to regret.  While she was all grins, Jeanette simmered like a volcano about to blow.  Trying to extract myself from this awkward conversation, I said good night and quickly made my exit.  I had a lot of work to deal with in the morning, and I still wanted to test out my new sleeping arrangements.

Jeanette fumed.  This little tidbit of information had her mind racing.  “What is that little tramp thinking, she has no right doing such a thing.  I have been the betrothed of Lord Cassius ever since mother gave birth to us.  It is by her word that I am to be Queen of the Tree of Roses.  And now this little harlot, she goes and. Oh No.  No, no, no.  She swims in the nude in the morning, does that mean that she…and Lord Cassius…no, no, no such a thought is to crude to even give credence.  And what are you smiling at, this is not funny.”

“Whatever, this is very funny.  Just because mother said you were the intended of Lord Cassius, does not mean that everything is set in stone.  Lord Cassius may be the greatest of the Ancient Ones, but Rosa is the only one of us that can crack his hard demeanor.  Even with you he acts like an impassive statue, we are his advisors and protectors, nothing more. Besides sister, I have seen your room, I know exactly how you see our Lord Cassius, so don’t get all self-righteous with me.  Now if you will excuse me I have travel matters to attend to.”

It has been such a day so much has happened, Kiren mused.  That warrior Arthris doesn’t look like much but he does have a commanding presence.  And this meeting, I recognized Sigrid and Leona from the village, although none of my companions did, for that matter they don’t remember dying either.  But the meeting, I have seen the Knights in Gold before in the outer fortress village, and Anna’s sister.  But there were so many female elves, all just as pretty as the princesses.  Elves in general are rare even in the outlands; they tend to hide away from others.  Because of their long life and unnatural grace and beauty they are hunted mercilessly by slavers.  But here in this “Garden” there must be close to a hundred gathered.  But the two monsters that stood behind them are truly terrifying.  There was a giant with the head of a bull.  It was an unholy combination of man and beast.  He carried conversation with several elves, for such a fearsome creature it looked regal and proud.  Standing next to the bull-man and slightly behind, was a massive seven headed hydra.  It was a beast of legend, only heard of in tales from the bards.  But where the bull-man was regal and fearsome, the hydra looked like someone’s pet, with big liquid black eyes and fang filled smiles.

I did not understand much of what was said, but I and my companions had been charged to escort this Arthris and the Princesses Anna to the Adventurers Guild hall, the closest hall was four days hard ride to the northeast within the Re-Estize _Kingdom_.  But we would need a couple of days to prepare for such a trip.  Despite the repeated questions of my friends Anna assured us that we were on the third floor of the same fortress as before.  Despite there being a clear starry sky overhead and white sand beaches around a massive body of water.  We had been put up in a series of suites overlooking the sea.  Looking down at my sleeping friends, I could only wonder at what the future held…

**End Chapter 9**


	10. Chapter 10 – Tormented Discovery

**Chapter 10 – Tormented Discovery**

_Three more times, three more attempts.  Impressive, after the first time, when the elf-child had realized that what she had experienced was an illusion intended to subdue her through terror, she tried again, and again.  Her final attempt was the worse.  This little elf-child had forced herself to keep trying at the lock even as her mind was destroyed by visions of her own death.  In the end she broke like all the others before her, now she lay curled into a ball, quietly whispering a name over and over again.  Whoever this Cassius was, she was lost to him now, forever more._

_It had been three days since she had been tossed into the cage with us, three days of defiance and torment.  The caravan made it to the coast and we were moved from our cages to the darkened hold of a ship.  Our necks are now chained to the wall limiting our movement.  Conditions were inhuman, and there was barely any food or drink given to us.  The weaker ones died early, they were the lucky ones.  The slavers took the bodies I know not where. Since our movement was so restricted our situation only got worse.  As we sat in our own filth within this hot, humid ship, the elf-child mumbled into the darkness.  Whatever her final vision was she had been cowed, broken, head down, subservient.  This elf child was now alone..._

I had asked Sigrid to produce a list of the six villages that he knew of within the Outlands, two within the mountains home to his people and four more within the great forest, rough communities of outcasts and the unwanted.  With Sigrid’s help himself and four members of the Diplomatic Corp would venture into the mountains to make contact with the dwarves, I had ordered four members of the Corp to accompany one Golden Knight Guardian to each of the woodland villages.  Hopefully in a week’s time trade will have resumed and the Tree of Roses would start to look like the guild of old.  I had moved Mr. Wiggles to the first floor he makes a great guard dog and had given him clear orders of protection. 

In truth much of this was busy work, intended to keep my mind busy.  I was worried, after the first night that Rosa had not returned.  I tried to contact her via (Message), I got no response.  What started to worry me was that I didn’t get a response the next eleven times as well.  Unless she was dead there should be no reason for her not to answer, regardless of her feelings I am still the Red Lord and ruler of the Tree of Roses.  There is a master scroll contained within the Vault that lists every NPC and their health status, if she was dead her name would have faded into black, it had not.  She was not dead, but she was unable to be contacted.  I could not think of a reason for this.  By noon on the second day, I was near frantic, and had taken to pacing the parapets of the outer walls.  Amidst my pacing, the master of stables came to speak with me.  Like the list of NPC’s he had a master list of everyone’s mount.  The Great-Fang listed as Rosa was listed as dead.  This did not help my mood.

The Tree of Roses did not have any NPC’s that specialized in the tracking of others.  That specialization was the purview of players.  My only recourse was to go to the villages and plead my case to them.  At the mere mention of Rosa missing, word had spread quickly.  Most of the villages folk consider Rosa and her sisters as royalty and the thought that one of them had gone missing in the woods was abhorrent to them.  Every hunter and trapper of the village; elf, orc, dwarf, or human they all agreed to help.  I pledged support in the form of swift mounts and supplies, as well as rewards beyond imagination to find her.  They accepted the mounts and supplies, but refused any amount of treasure or reward.  My heart swelled in thanks to these people.  Still I didn’t sleep well that night.

The morning of the third day, Anna and I were to set out with Kiren and her companions for the Adventurers Guild.  With no word on Rosa and a leaden heart I reluctantly left Jeanette in charge of the day to day running of the fortress and the defense to BumperThumper.  Their orders were to maintain the guild and its holdings and to (Message) me with any and all news.  We left on horseback heading northeast, with luck in four days we would see Kiren’s hometown.  If I had only known what was about to happen I never would have left in the first place.

Kiren look around and smiled.  It was good to see her friends alive and well.  The resurrection magic of this kingdom is incredibly powerful.  Considering the state that her friend’s bodies had been in she assumed there would be scars or latent trauma.  But they had been healed completely, save for their memories.   Each remembered the moment when they had first arrived at the village to replenish their supplies, but everything after that became vague and hazy.  Kiren didn’t have the heart to tell them, that they had all died.  Something’s are just better unsaid.  She had instead lied to them, giving vague recollections of a night a wild drinking and strong alcohol.  But she also smiled that they were finally leaving to return home.

True to his word this Arthris person, supplied us with powerful steeds.  Clearly these horses had been trained thoroughly, and had been breed with strength and stamina in mind.  Each of us was given a backpack of exceptional quality as well as a belt pouch.  Contained in each backpack was brand new equipment of similar quality.  It was all a little overwhelming.  As the unofficial spokesman for the Shadowed Hand, I asked how much all this equipment was going to cost us.  Arthris said that everything was free of charge.  If a reason was needed we could consider it a partial payment for escorting himself and Princess Annabelle.  He didn’t look like much, handsome, but his armor and gear was older less refined.  Damage and wear was clearly visible, maybe he was a servant or aide to the Princess.  Maybe he was dressed in armor just for the journey?  As I thought this Anna rode up on a pure white mare, which was wearing some very intricate and artistic golden barding.  Unlike most women of royalty I have seen she was not using a sidesaddle, but one more suited for hard riding or fighting.  She was wearing very traditional adventure travel garments, and what looked like a shirt of chainmail.  Sheathed to the saddle and resting next to her right leg was a massive flanged war mace, she did not have backpacks like the rest of us, in fact it appeared that she had no baggage of any kind.  Stranger yet, as we moved to leave Arthris mounted Anna’s horse to ride tandem with her.

Anna was sure her ears were turning red, as she tried to suppress the heated flush upon her cheeks.  Lord Cassius’s hands were gently resting across her stomach.  Even though she was wearing concealed armor as well as layered travel clothing she could feel the heat exuded by him.  Unlike Rosa or Jeanette, Anna had never entertained thoughts towards Lord Cassius.  While their mother may have intended for the three sisters to be lifelong companions to the Ancient One, she had preferred the fairer sex.  So what was this reaction, her skin itched and her breathing had become rough and ragged as she could feel a sense of overwhelming nervousness building within her.  Quickly Anna cast (Calm Heart) on herself, a third tier cleric spell that suppresses all strong emotions.  As the spell took effect she began to feel more normal and was able to think clearly again.  Still unable to understand what had happened to her, she would at least be able to travel.

They rode away from the Tree of Roses, first cross country to one of the few dirt roads within the Outlands.  The Shadowed Hand had sent a swift pace that allowed for a lot of distance to be covered without overly tiring either the horses or their riders.  As the sun travelled across the sky, the group managed to cover a lot of ground.  They road in silence save for brief moments when they would stop to check their maps or with the need for relief.  With dusk fast approaching, they found a sheltered glade just off of the road to pitch camp.  A fire was quickly set and local game captured for their dinner.  Kiren and the twins, Ulan and Banji, choose to take the first watch.  Princess Anna and Arthris both adamantly took second and third watch.  And so we settled in for our first night in the wilderness…

_Rosa was in hell, she wept constantly, her pain was still fresh and raw.  The nights had gotten colder the further they travelled, normally she would not have been bothered but her collar and cuffs were suppressing her abilities.  Whoever these marauders were they now kept her under guard regardless of the fact she was imprisoned.  Two nights ago, when their nightly gruel was being served, she managed to tempt the guard with her charms.  As he leaned in for a better view, she had grabbed his clothing pulling him into the bars repeatedly.  Before his fellows were able to rescue him she had destroyed the bones of his face.  He died choking on his own blood gasping for breath.  She had paid for this act of resistance.  They had held her down and slowly broke each finger of her right hand.  Her defiance didn’t stop there, the following day as the caravan snaked across the countryside.  Rosa managed to start a fire in the wagon that they rode in.  As the guards pulled her and her companions from the cage, Rosa kicked them in every man’s weakest point sending them swiftly to the ground.  She ran for her life towards the tree line, she didn’t get far.  She fell to the ground as her left leg collapsed under her, for a moment she just laid there screaming in pain before she realized what had happened._

_One of the caravan guards had shot her.  A heavy crossbow bolt protruded from her shin.  Its metal head was slick with her blood.  The shot had penetrated her calf muscle with enough force to shatter her shin bone and extend several inches from the exit wound.  As she wept on the ground she though this is where she will die, naked and alone on the ground slowly bleeding out.  She was wrong.  The slavers dragged her back to the caravan, crudely removed the bolt and closed the wound.  But they were not done with her yet for she was to be punished for this.  They placed her back against a heavy log and her arms were bound painfully behind her, at first Rosa though she was going to be raped.  But the guards tied her legs tightly together before securing her hips with rope and staking her to the ground.  Her feet were placed on a crude platform of wood that was raised roughly a foot off the ground with her soles facing out.  In that moment she feared that they were going to cut her feet off, then she felt the crack of a whip._

_One of the slavers expertly whipped the bare soles of her feet.  With each sharp crack her feet were steadily cut to ribbons, her screams echoed across the caravan.  Between the lashes she could hear the guard betting on how long before she would pass out from the pain, she vowed not to give them that satisfaction.  Ten, twenty, fifty, and then it stopped.  She was breathing hard, there was so much pain that her feet felt numb, but she had taken it and survived.  As the caravan leader approached, she stared daggers of hate at him.  He would know her killing intent, she would continue her defiance until either they killed her or she escaped.  Then he lit the wooden platform on fire.  Those guards closest to her quickly held her body down, further restraining her.  Her scream of pain was so powerful it broke her voice, she begged, pleaded, and cried for mercy.  There was none, he slowly used the edge of his sword as if turning meat on a grill.  This bastard roasted her precious feet.  And so it continued as the stench of burning flesh filled the air…_

Four days we traveled northeast, first through parts of the great forest, and then along the banks of a narrow but swift river, before finally reaching open plains.  Because of the cool down of my [Polymorph – Humanoid) ability, Anna and I always share the duties of nightly guard detail.  We only encountered trouble once on the road, on our second night just before leaving the great forest.  A small group of bandits picked this night to raid our camp.  I managed to dissuade them before they could wake our camp.  They were just Outlanders that had gotten desperate and were hungry.  After a stern talking too and some persuasion, I managed to get them on they’re way.  No one was the wiser which was fine by me.  At some point we crossed over in to the territory of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, untamed wilderness gave way to ordered fields of farmland, and we passed through two villages of decent size.  The people were friendly and welcoming and we stopped in one to replenish out rations and for a brief rest.  I managed to speak too many about the locals about the neighboring lands.  During these discussions I learned of the roving monsters and more on the Adventurers Guild, as well as some of the politics of the region. 

Our luck didn’t hold though, for most of the third day it rained heavily.  There was no place to stop and take shelter and conditions on the road made travel hazardous.  Bundled beneath foul weather gear we continued as best we could.  Anna was miserable, and begged for the chance to seek shelter and wait out the storm.

 

**End Chapter 10**


	11. Chapter 11 – A Modern City

**Chapter 11 – A Modern City**

Just before dusk on the fourth day we rode into E-Rantel a true fortress city, there had to be around a hundred and fifty thousand people living here.  Great blocks of quarried stone appeared to be the most common building material.  There were well maintained and clean roads, even the indication of some sort of sewer system.  If it wasn’t for the presence of horses or the occasional person in armor walking around, I would think this was a modern city.  We were a wet and sodden party of travelers, but we managed to find an inn with a couple of rooms, called the Iron Pig.  The Iron Pig was no four star establishment, but the food was warm and it was cheap.  Everything a low level adventurer would be looking for.  As Kiren and her friends dug into the hard bread and steaming cups of soup, Anna and I shed our wet cloaks and placed them near the fire to dry.  In that moment, all sound in the Inn ceased.  Looking around, everyone was staring at Anna.  Trying not to draw any more attention to ourselves than we already had, we moved towards our companions table.  We almost make it before the trouble starts.

A tuff, barely old enough to be called a man, steps in front of Anna blocking her path.  Anna is a level 100 NPC, despite Job Levels in Cleric and Priest.  She also retains Job Levels in Knight, Paladin, & Crusader.  If need be she could take on everyone in this room and not even break a sweat.  Regardless, she was under strict orders not to reveal her power and was to act solely as my second and ward.  We had studied as much as we could about human/elf interactions within this world.  And she was to play the part of a submissive subordinate, at least for the time being.  Maybe this is why I reacted so poorly or maybe it was when the fool reached out and grabbed her right breast, maybe.  As he opened his mouth to speak, my perception of time to slow around me.

_“Sweet little elf-ling girl, is she fresh?  How much fer-her?  Why don’t you come over to our table sweet thing and we can meet you properly.”_

There was a pounding thud, and the sound of plaster falling.  No one had the reaction time to see the blow, or the tuff’s passage through the air.  He hit the back wall and crumpled into a pile.  Three more bully boys rose from their table, knocking back their chairs.  The first had a plate of silver around his neck and a double-headed war hammer.  He swung for my head and caught my shield; (Vigil Eternal) is a World-Level item and the second in my inventory, defensively it is the most powerful in all of YGGDRASIL.  Granting massive statistical bumps for Physical Defense, Hit Points, and Resistances, the shield has three built in abilities.  A [Passive Skill] allows for 360 degree combat awareness in three dimensions.  As well as a [Passive Skill] that shatters any weapon not World-Level or Divine-Level.  A weapon shattered in the manner deals shrapnel damage to all opponents in a thirty foot area.  The final ability allows the shield to act independently from myself in my defense.

The owner of the smoking war hammer did not have long to wonder what had happened for the back blast of its shattering knocked himself and several bystanders to the floor.  That vicious little bastard was trying to cut Anna up with a pair of daggers, but she managed to side-step every one of his attacks, before Kiren blindsided her assailant with a blistering right hook.  The final tuff was a perfumed and pompous dandy, wielding a dueling sword.  He waved the toothpick of a blade in front of me and tried to spit out words for a formal duel.  I didn’t let him finish, before mashing his face with the flat of my shield.  He was unconscious before he hit the floor.  Less than six heartbeats had passed from start to finish.

“Anna, see to the injured, (Minor – Healing) only.  I will see to the damages.”

In the end everyone gave the two of use a wide berth for the rest of the evening.  As I sat by the fire soaking up the heat of the fire, I watched Anna, Kiren, and her friends.  She was really getting along very well with them.  In YGGDRASIL you never see NPCs acting like normal people.  Because they weren’t real people, just a complex code of data.  But here they were real people.  I have never seen her laugh like this or smile, or even socialize before.  There was something heartwarming in watching this.  Acting tired, I said my good nights, and made for the stables, we had purchased the entire structure for our stay, plus rooms, under the pretense of precious cargo.  I reverted to my natural for and waited, and waited, and waited some more.  When no word had arrived, I contacted Jeanette directly for her report.

_“Milord, it is good to hear from you.”_

“How goes the efforts of the Diplomatic Corp?”

_“We have managed to contact five of the six prospective cities most have agreed to trade terms, three specifically wish to enter into alliances of mutual defense.  They are so weak and fragile, they would add nothing to our defensive strength, and to waste pop-monsters or even a Guardian on them would be shameful._

“Regardless we will help them, not to do so would go against everything the Tree of Roses stands for.  Now than not that long ago OrChImEdEs360 had come up with plans for a Border Fort, the idea was to expand the territorial area that the Tree of Roses covered within YGGDRASIL.  At the time it was an expensive venture and the council of Ancients was divided on the need for these forts.  Now here in this new world OrChImEdEs360 idea had a lot more merit.  For each village that agrees to an alliance with us, we shall build a Border Fortress near their town.  We will garrison a single unit of ten pop-monsters from the first floor garrison, as well as an inventory of summoning scrolls for added defense.  Make sure the garrison is a rough mix of light foot and archers.”

_“It will be done as you have specified, milord.”_

“Has there been any word on Rosa?”

_“Her Great-Fang was discovered a half a day’s ride from the outer wall, it had been skinned, of Rosa, there has been no sign.  You sound weary milord, you should rest.  I will (Message) you if anything changes.”_

_Jeanette’s eyes blazed.  Damn it, everyday Lord Cassius asks about that little tramp.  I am his intended, I am to be queen.  And while he is away I am Queen.  Thousands follow my orders; already I have increased our stores a hundred-fold.  Trade now blossoms in the markets and gold enters our coffers.  Through my efforts we will soon gain three new vassal villages.  So we are to protect the weak even if they are a burden to the Tree of Roses.  Fine than we will fortify each and garrison them, but in turn we shall take what we need.  And our word will soon be law._

_But still he asks for Rosa, yes we found her cat.  But we also know there was a struggle and she was taken.  Those pitiful village trackers managed to follow some sort of trail made from the scraps of torn from her cloths.  But it matters little, the trail has gone cold, and she is lost maybe forever.  Lord Cassius needs to look towards the future, a happier future, my future._

Despite Jeanette’s ill news my plan seemed to be working.  With her slowly expanding our territory within the Outlands we will be able to tame this world.  Plus the local Adventurers Guild held possibility for me I needed more information, as well as allies.  But that was for tomorrow.  Tonight I planned to do some exploring.  Reaching into my inventory I grabbed a [Scroll of Invisibility – Greater], it would not be good if I was seen.  That being said, it is also a stroke of luck that E-rantel’s streets are nearly empty at night and built to accommodate the passage of heavy traffic.  But as a giant eighty foot red dragon sauntering down the boulevard hidden by an enchantment, I had very low expectations on getting caught.

I managed to cover a lot of ground.  I located many key structures, government buildings, garrisons, and temples.  Many of the main and side streets were patrolled by the city watch, as well as several small groups of what might have been adventurers.  On the far edge of the city I was slowly picking my way thru what passed for the poor slum district.  It was a miserable place, the streets were poorly maintained and garbage or affluent pooled in places.  All the building was a patchwork of materials and pieces.  This entire district was bordered by unpleasant industries, like the city dump or slaughter houses.  The oily scent of unwashed humanity mixed freely with the rot of wood and rancid food.  Crime was prevalent here, but I expected as much given the condition.  I was about to leave and return to the Iron Pig, when I heard a faint squeak at the edge of my hearing.  It was faint, but very distinct, someone was calling for help.

Pulling a (Scroll of Cunning Hunter - Fox Spirit) from my inventory, and using it to track down the source of the screams.  Quickly I was led to a series of clearly abandoned warehouses and rundown storage sheds.  Leaping upon a large stone grain silo and wrapping my tail around my perch.  I spotted them.  There were ten, no twelve of them, two stood off to the side.  Pure evil radiated from them, I mean I could actually see it.  I could taste fresh blood in the air.  Its copper tang was unmistakable.  Most of them were grouped around two smaller individuals one was the screamer, both sat in an expanding pool of blood.  Fire was out of the question, the chance of starting an uncontrollable blasé was too great, as was any form of close physical combat.  Regardless of how careful I would be the structure would most certainly be destroyed it was no concern to me but the chance of harming nearby innocents was a risk.  With my choices so limited I decided to scare them, with time as an unknown quantity concerning the injured.  I managed to carefully pick my way down to ground level till I was less than a span from the group.  I was further shocked, the bleeding one was a teenager, female, late teens at least.  And a small boy hugged her shoulders screaming and crying.  Putting everything I had into it I growled and released my aura of fear.

The act of targeted intimidation is considered a hostile action, thus breaking the restrictions of (Greater Invisibility).  I will give them credit, only four of them dropped dead from fright immediately.  The rest retreated several dozen meters, towards their leaders.  I gave them a simple ultimatum, leave or die, they choose the former.  When they had left I returned my attention to the woman and her son.  He had stopped crying, and was standing in open defiance to me.  Even with my (Aura of Fear) in a passive state, he should be terrified.  This child no more than thirteen years old, looked back at me with hard eyes.  I moved to roll his mother onto her back and assess her wounds, what I saw stopped me cold.   Those bastards had gutted her.  They had sliced her open from sternum to pubis and pulled open her flesh, then removed each of her internals save for the heart and lungs.  All that blood and viscera piled at her feet, she was essentially hollow inside.  And yet she lived, barely.  She was mouthing words to soft even for my superior hearing, so I moved my head as close to her as I could.  Her son chooses this moment to charge me, and began to rain blows down upon my head.  He screams now not for help or terror, but in defense of his dying mother.  I ignore him and focus on her words.  She knows she is dying, that it will come soon.  She cannot see me her eyes have already faded away.  But she begs for the protection of her child.  I speak words of comfort to her, and promise that her little warrior will be protected.  Despite her injuries, her own constitution is working against her, though death is approaches it is not a swift death.  So I ask if she wishes peace, there is barely a nod of her head. 

Trapping her son in a prison of my claws, I move my head above her, snout down.  I reach deep within myself to my core of fire.  What issues forth is not normal flame, it is pure white, and burns like the surface of the sun.  There is a brief scream as she is momentarily cooked alive before her body is reduced to ash in an instant.  What is left behind is a perfectly round ten foot circle of molten earth.  I desperately hope she didn’t feel anything in the end.

I summon Anna to come and gather up the child.  With my eyes glowing red in the darkness, I slowly fly back to my improvised bed.  I will have to fix this in the morning.    

 

**End Chapter 11**

 


	12. Chapter 12 – Damnation

**Chapter 12 – Damnation  
**

_Rosa no longer remember how long it has been since leaving the Tree, the days just blur together now.  My screams must have offended the guards.  I am kept chained to a wall in my own cell.  We are on a ship now and it leaks, water runs across the floor of my cell, it mixes with my own waste and pools beneath me.  My chains do not allow me to stand to my full height or sit and relax.  My charred and ruined feet are now infected from the stagnant water, and I am now fever sick.  With the collar and bands on my wrists and ankles I cannot resist, everything has been taken from me save for my mind.  When the guards come to allow me to eat, I kick and bite.  I scream for release, for my freedom, for someone to save me. My reward is pain.  It started with words and fists, I can live with bruises.  Whippings followed, so many that my blood ran freely from my body, no part of me escaped the lash.  Sometimes they wouldn’t even wait for old wounds to close before they would start again.  Still I fought and screamed, I managed to rip the eye from one of the guards and bite the nose from another.  For this they burned me again, this time with hot iron glowing white from the fire.  They started with the palms of my hands before moving on to more sensitive and intimate parts of my body, hoping to break me._

_I didn’t stop, if anything I have fought harder.  They would not, could not break me, they would have to kill me.  But they wouldn’t, I was worth more alive to them.  Today I stand shackled in the middle of the hold, others, people like me line the walls, all of us are in chains.  I managed to get a knife of one of my captors, and cut them where the sun didn’t shine.  This made me smile.  My smile fades quickly; the Slave Master enters with someone I have never seen before.  This newcomer is cloaked in darkness, vile tattoos move across his skin.  As they approach me I spit, the only form of defiance I can muster.  My hands are chained above my head and my toes barely scrape the floor.  They took my hair three days ago, and despite the scars that pucker my flesh, they still look at me with lust.  The dark one, steps closer I heard words but catch none of the meaning it sounds like a prayer or chanting.  Magic he is using magic on me, I twist in my chains escape is impossible as is resistance.  Energy dark as night flows from his hands into my flesh, I feel nothing.  There is no pain.  Nothing appears to be happening to me.  But he isn’t done yet.  The slave master calls forth three young girls.  Two are the humans from when I was first caught.  All have given up and they try to make themselves as small as possible.  They have kept they’re looks, no beatings for them, good food, and a clean place to sleep.  But broken in spirit and willing to do anything they are told.  As they kneel the Dark one speaks._

**_“These three are worth a lot of gold.  Profits from them could offset this whole trip.  A pity we shall waste them.”_ **

_There is more chanting as wisps of darkness move towards two of the girls, they didn’t understand what is going on.  Their eyes are wide with terror, nearly feral.  At some unseen order three guards approach from behind.  With swift sure movements they draw jeweled daggers across two girl’s throats, third was gagged.  Their vocal chords are severed so they can’t scream, and though blood pours from their necks, the cuts are shallow, not meant to kill._

**_“They are tied to you, they cannot die until I say so, and you will feel everything they feel, mind and body.  Now then, shall we begin?  Gag her!”_ **

_A wadded dirty cloth is shoved into my mouth and tied behind my head.  The first, a redheaded girl with pale features and delicate looking hands is stripped and hung upside down by her feet.  The others are held so they can watch.  The Dark one is chanting again, with a jeweled dagger he cuts a neat circle around each of her ankles and again around her thighs, there is very little blood.  I can feel the cuts as if it is my legs getting cut.  I can feel her fear, I can see people she knows and loves, and the cold grip of terror in her heart knowing she will never see them again.  Then a bolt of pure agony rips up her/my, legs.  The Dark one is pulling the flesh from her.  Pale skin all the way down to the red meat comes away in his hands.  A single continuous piece of skin, he is quick and efficient soon our leg is skinless, red meat, unnaturally exposed to the air it throbs with pain.  Before we can even catch our breath he does the same to our other leg.  She/We try to scream, nothing escapes from either of us to be heard.  I can feel blood dripping down my legs; I try not to look at the damage done to us.  The Dark one drops the skin-sleeves to the deck and approaches me.  He grabs my leg just behind my left knee and I hiss in agony.  He pulls my leg until it is horizontal with my hips._

**_“Excellent, you are responding well to the treatment, not a single scar to be seen anywhere.  Next we will start on the hips and buttocks.”_ **

_It took two hours for him to skin the redhead; she lived through the entire experience screaming in my mind.  All she could see through the tears was my body healing from the damage that my defiance had earned me.  All I saw was a young woman reduced to a cut of red glistening meat on a hook.  It was only after they removed her face and hair that they allowed her to die.  She was tossed bodily over the side of the boat into the salt water sea, screaming out her pain as water flooded her lungs and she drowned._

_Next was the first of the sisters, the blonde, she had broken first under the collar.  I was exhausted.  My will had been abraded by the torture of the redhead.  I was hanging on but only just.  Like the redhead she was stripped of her meager clothing and was placed upon a wooden table.  Laid on her back they did not restrain her.  Past trauma had rendered this one mute and glassy eyed.  But she still had her health; beneath her cloths was a body hardened by labor, maybe a farmer.  As she was strung up her sister struggled and pleaded silently to no avail.  I felt nothing from this girl, even though we were connected.  There was no fear or terror, just a cold feeling of acceptance.  The Dark one drew a long and sharp steel blade from his belt.  Starting at just below her rib he sliced her from right to left.  Using two barbed hooks, he pulled back the flaps of flesh exposing her interior body cavity to the open air.  I saw this and felt every moment of it.  But there was nothing but a cold void from the blonde, how can she not scream in agony, that I am feeling._

_A couple of the guards lose it as the Dark one begins to reach in to pull out organs.  The smell of vomit in nothing compared to the interior of a living human.  Each of her organs is healthy with youth but turns to dust in his hands.  Stomach, liver, kidneys, intestine, bladder, ovaries and more, fall as clouds of dust to the ground.  And with each I can feel weeks of internal injuries heal like new.  Her lungs and heart are removed and for a moment I am breathless and choking.  Throughout the entire ordeal the blonde never even twitched, no muffled screams, in the end what might have been a faint smile graced her face.  I knew in my core that she was the true victor here, she was free.  We were lost, so much degradation, so much evil.  Every nerve felt like fire, I could scream for a thousand years and never remove the horror of this from my soul.  The last girl, sister to the blonde, was in shock.  She fought her tormentors as if it mattered, as if she could escape whatever nightmare was about to happen to her._

_Unlike the other two, she was not hung by her feet.  Stripped and mounted spread eagle to a cross frame.  Bound by thick ropes at the ankles, waist, wrists, and neck, she was completely immobilized.  A guard approached carrying a silver tray, bearing several long thin filleting knives._

**_“Now, after those other two girls, your senses may be too dulled, and we can’t have that.  So we will let you two relax as you are for the night.  And we will see you in the morning, please feel free to talk amongst yourselves.”_ **

_In our single moment of peace we cried for our fallen, terror kept us awake, but emotional fatigue drew us both into the darkness of slumber._

_It didn’t last, I awoke to a shrill scream.  It was a surprise that turned sour with pain and fear.  The Dark One was back, alone this time.  He was slowly driving an iron spike into the girl’s hand.  Something was wrong though, I couldn’t feel her pain, we were not linked.  Some hint of my surprise must have crossed my features, and as the Dark One turned to me and took notice._

**_“Good morning elf-child.  You just sit there and relax.  Think about all my men you have injured or killed, all the trouble you have caused me.  Know that what happens today is on your head, you stubborn fool.  You should have just accepted your lot in life and submitted.”_ **

_And then he turned away._

_With meticulous care and detail, he slowly took her apart piece by piece.  When the pain got too much and she passed out, he would stop and give her a moment, before using salts to revive her.  When her voice became dry and ragged, he would stop and make her drink water or other restoratives.  And then the screams would continue…_

**End Chapter 12**

 


	13. In between

**Chapter 13 – In between**

As nights go, my first in E-Rantel was less than pleasing.  The sight of such evil being heaped upon an innocent was both disgusting and disturbing, to my human nature.  But beneath it all some dark center of my draconic psyche accepted what I had seen, even reveled in it.  My dreams were awash with images of blood, gore, and battle.  By morning I had awoken restless and bitter.  Taking a seat in the common room of the inn, I stewed over a warm mug of mead as Kiren and Anna descended from their rooms.  Sharing some intimate joke between them, their giggles pricked at my ears.  Anna looked perfect, as if she had spent hours just preparing for the morning and it seemed that some of her habits had worn off on her companion.  Despite my sour mood, I am still impressed at the change in Kiren as of late.  When I had fist met her in that battered and burned woodland village, she was such a desolate individual.  While she still looked the part of an adventure, she was less haggard, brighter, & cleaner. 

But then, all of her companions had changed a little since our meeting.  _Alburn the Noble_ , the paladin of Shadow’s Hand, having awoken within the wall of the Tree of Roses, talked nonstop of the wonders he had seen.  Of the ordered society, of so many various races both humanoid and monster working together in peace & harmony.  His earnest speech and overt willingness to share what he had seen would scatter rumors and stories across the city by the end of the week.  _Zarola_ had been a brute of a woman before she was resurrected.  Her time spent within the halls of the Tree of Roses had not changed this.  She was still a foul mouthed unclothe brute.  But now she no longer fought recklessly, she now had a calm thoughtfulness in her eyes.  The last to arrive were the twins, _Ulan_ basically dragging _Banji_ to the table.  These two had some interesting traits.  They looked like a pair of children, and maybe it was their youth that had saved them from the shock of everything that had happened.  _Ulan_ had the innate ability to comprehend the principles of magic scrolls, and was festooned with all manner of them.  His fingers were perpetually stained with ink.  But it was the sister, _Banji_ that worried me.  She had “Ghost Eyes”, an ability that was described to me as being able to see the truth in people.  I worried over this unfamiliar ability.  Every time she looks at me, I see terror and fear etched on her features.  There was no possible way that she could see through my polymorphic ability.  The difference in power between us was too great.  My guess was that they granted her some measure of empathic ability maybe even aura sight.  Given my lack of control over my draconic nature, it was likely that she had seen enough to fear me. 

Breakfast was lively, Kiren’s friends wanted to head directly to the Adventurers Guild, they had been out of touch for an extended time, and needed to report on what they had found within the outlands.  And as with most adventurers (and gamers in general), they needed more money.  So looking for a posting or quest for copper-plates would be great.  As the administrative entity of the Tree of Roses for so long, I had more of a professional curiosity in this Adventurers Guild.  The fact that something of the like existed in this world was of interest to me.  But Anna wanted to see the city and its sights, I could not tell if she was acting the part of a tourist or if she was actually serious in her interest.  And though this town lacked basically everything that the Tree of Roses had, it was still unknown territory.  And acting as her guard and escort I conceded to her wishes, she even convinced Kiren to act as our guide.  Later we agreed to meet up at the Guild Hall.

I was intentionally avoiding thinking about last night’s events.  In YGGDRASIL I had the highest level of _Sense of Justice_.  In my world I was a nice guy, honor and compassion actually meant something to me.  But here in this new world, my sense of compassion was slipping.  The event of last night has shaken something loose within me.  While I would honor my word and take care of the youth, I felt nothing for him.  I still riled at the murder of his mother in such a brutal fashion.  But something nagged at me, was it my place to mete out justice for this crime with claw and fire.  Even thinking down this path, I begin to feel the need to rend something, I am giving into my draconic side.  Conversation has stopped at the table, and it is Anna’s sharp voice that brings me out of my introspection.

_“Arthris are you alright, you were snarling for a moment there?”_

Judging from the shocked faces around me and the look of absolute terror on _Banji’s_ face I assume the worse.  Apologizing quickly with some excuse about needing air, I bolted for the door. 

**_Kiren:_ **

_Breakfast was a lot of fun, when we had travel before, mornings were rather dull.  Seldom did we ever stay in an inn.  Anna acted like she had never been in such a large city before, her questions were nonstop.  She wanted to see everything, all the sights and sounds that E-Rantel had to offer.  While I really wanted to head to the guild with Alban and the rest, Anna was making a very convincing argument that I should show her and Arthris around the city.  Speaking of Arthris, though he had greeted us and everyone else with a simple nod of his head, he brooded over his stew and mead at the table.  As I looked around I notice Banji, her eyes never left Arthris.  I would have thought it endearing were it not for the look of terror on her face.  But before I could ask, a basso profondo growling echoed through the room.  It was so powerful that dishes clattered across our table and wall hangings fell to the floor.  It was Arthris.  With a sharp and commanding tone from Anna, he quickly apologized and took his leave.  I don’t think he noticed that the entire room watched him leave with shock clearly written across their faces._

_Growing up in E-Rantel I never saw what the draw was to travelers that were visiting.  It was a fortress city, defended by massive curtain walls and a large standing garrison.  I showed Anna and Arthris as much as I could, from the Street of Smells, where you could purchase everything from tanned leather to, freshly slaughtered meat, even hot pies and baked breads.  I took them to the clean and well ordered streets of the Ambassador Estates & Embassies, where patrols were larger and more frequent and less of the common folk were seen.  We peeked through the gates at E-Rantel’s massive graveyard.  Anna asked why it was walled in and had such a heavy guard both night and day.  She seemed surprised when I told her of the frequent undead that rose from the ground here.  Afterward we snaked our way past the central keep and seat of power for the Duke of E-Rantel.  I was heading towards the Guild when we were just entering the central market, when Arthris asked a question that stopped me cold._

“So many poor and destitute, are the taxes here exorbitantly high?  Or is there some other reason for all these people that cower in the dark spaces around this city?”

_I didn’t know at first what he was talking about.  It wasn’t until he pointed out the people he was speaking about before I understood.  Growing up in E-Rantel, I had grown used to the ragged brotherhood.  I explained that there were several possible answers for his question.  In E-Rantel being convicted of a crime regardless of circumstance or reason resulted in the loss or forfeiture of personal property, on top of any other punishment.  Then there were those people that were either unable or unwilling to work, either thru sickness, injury, or lack of will.  Without someone to take care of them or money to support those, many will fall into this life style being unable to pay the local taxes.  My final answer is children.  Many children are unwanted or become too numerous for a family to take care of, and are left abandoned on the streets to survive.  With no name and no skills beyond begging or thieving, many die since they cannot leave the gutter lifestyle._

_It was obvious my answer displeased him, but he held his tongue.  This matter resolved I pulled Anna into the central marked, quickly getting ourselves lost among the shops and booths._

I was disgusted.  These people turned a blind eye to the suffering of their own.  And the more I looked the more revulsion I felt.  I thought to investigate these unfortunates further, when I saw this man.  He looked no different than any of the other beggars that lined the walls and alleys around the market.  But what caught my eye was a glint of gold.  Worse was where the gold came from.  A small child no more than ten years of age had passed a small handful of coins to this man, before running off into the crowd.  I stepped into a covered stall selling fresh harvested herbs, and feigned interest while keeping watch.  Less than a minute later a skinny little girl maybe eight or nine years old approached and handed off a shiny golden ring.  She received a pat on the head and quickly moved off into the market.  I looked around the market area I could see, there were dozens of little children moving around the market.  I was about to break cover and confront this evil little man when I heard a shrill scream.  Pushing my way through the crowd toward the scream I found a very flustered fat bearded merchant holding the wrist of a squealing child, it was the skinny girl from just a moment ago.  He was shouting “thief” at the top of his lungs.  I started to interject when two guards approached to take custody of the child.

“What is the punishment for a thief, what do you intend to do with this child?”  I asked the guards. 

“For her crime she will be hung at dawn.”

I turned to the merchant and sternly asked how much she had stolen.  Five gold coins.

“You hang children for the loss of five gold coins?” 

The child clearly knew her fate and was sobbing her denial and struggling to get away.  Looking straight at the guards, I ordered them to stand to; I would be with them in a moment.  Returning to the merchant, who by this point was gloating over catching a thief and boosting about it to his neighbors, so he completely missed my hand reaching for his throat.  So his look of utter shock when I easily lifted him three feet off the ground was a perfect start.  With my best intimidating glare, “You have your gold correct?  So my question to you, does the death of this child make you feel proud of yourself?” 

I am not gentle, and emphasize my questions with a sharp and violent shake of this bastard.

“Is the pain she is to suffer for attempting to survive in this shithole of a city worth five gold coins?” 

Before he can even sputter an answer I drop him and move to the guards.

“This merchant has his coin, and this child now fears for her very existence, is this not punishment enough?  Now, choose, what do you fear more the law or me?”

I was tempted to rip the Amulet of the Silvered Eye from my neck, instantly dispelling the illusion of a common warrior.  Despite my common looks with my scuffed and worn armor.  I still looked the part of a veteran warrior.  Thoroughly intimidated the guards wisely chose to release the child, who then promptly ran for her life.  The merchant attempted to give chase, before grabbed his collar and tugged him off his feet.  Pulling himself from the ground he sputter all manner of curses and expletives at me, before I turned my withering glare on him and took a single step in his direction.  I spotted a smirking Anna and a stunned Kiren nearby.

**_Kiren:_ **

_We walked the market for nearly an hour, sampling the wares of a dozen merchants.  Trying on new cloths and giggling all the while, I have to say it was the most fun I had in a while.  The market was loud so when I had heard shouting I thought nothing of it.  Nor did I think too much about it as Anna slowly pulled me in that general direction.  But when we got to the edge of the market I saw that standing in the middle of this altercation, was Arthris.  In an unbelievable show of strength and force of will, he exposed yet another dark aspect of my home town.  Thinking on his words my ears started to burn, if but for a chance of fate, I was not to different from that child.  And though I started to hang my head in shame, Anna grabbed my arm as if to lend me her strength as she told me to keep my eyes up.  Bolstered by her words, I raised my head and watched what can next._

_Anna moved to speak with Arthris alone, and she directed me to head for the Adventurers Guildhall without her.  They would catch up in due time._

_Leaving the market behind me, I made good time to the Adventurers Guild.  Just outside the hall I met up with Alburn and the rest of Shadow’s Hand before entering.  It was crowded as usual; I saw dozens of copper-plates, like us.  As well as bronze, silver, and even a crew of gold-plates.  This was pretty normal, being the regional guild headquarters, many adventurers passed through each day.  People were buried in conversations, trading information, stories, or just catching up.  Some people were checking the job postings or looking for groups that had accepted a job already.  We managed to make our way to the desk clerk, and report our findings on the Outlands and its population to the Guild.  We had discussed earlier, and choose to omit what we had learned about the Tree of Roses, not that anyone within the Guild would believe us.  If Annabelle or Arthris wanted to share it would be their decision not mine.  Our task completed, and our payment received.  Alburn and I grabbed a table towards the back corner of the room to wait for the others, I began to tell him what I had seen in the central market.  While Zarola and the twins scouted the job postings looking for something we could work and make some coin off of._

_Four veteran warriors and what appeared to be two magic casters had laid claim to a group of chairs near the fire pit.  Judging by their gear and weapons, they were at least platinum ranked if not higher.  They were in deep conversation with the guild merchants, haggling over the price for treasure they had found.  If I had to guess they had raided a tomb or ancient ruin by the look of it.  These were powerful people, flush with resources and wealth.  Many besides me were paying attention to them, which made what came next so absurd.  There was a commotion at the entrance of the hall, and suddenly people were back peddling away as the doors swung inward._

_Through them walked Arthris, at least I think it was him.  He was hard to look at.  His armor was some sort of silver white plate mail edged in gold trim that seemed to radiate light.  There was a design element built into his suit making it appear that it was made up of individual scales.  And there were no hard lines.  It was as if the entire suit was sculpted to fit the wearer.  He wore of full face helm that had metallic wings arcing up from the sides.  And across his back was a cape of rich red cloth that billowed out behind him.  On one arm he carried a massive steel shield that was inlaid with gem stones forming a pattern of a giant all Seeing Eye.  At his opposite hip rested an equally massive sword, seemingly made from a single piece of obsidian, red runes glowed along its length.  I had just seen him with Anna in the market, was this some form of illusion.  But then, trailing but a single step behind, walked Anna.  And for a moment I forgot how to breathe.  It was still Anna, but so much more so.  Her cleric vestments had changed into a full dress of white silk, a gossamer web of small diamonds and pearls traced out patterns across its surface.  Her long blonde hair was tied into an elaborate braid that hung to the middle of her back.  For a second I thought she had more gemstones laced into this braid, but as I looked closely these glittering points of light moved and changed position.  It was as if she had actual stars bound within her braid.  Atop her head she wore a golden crown styled like a pair of intertwined roses that met in the center picked out in rubies.  The thorn stems that held the crown in place looked sharp and dangerous but they also drew everyone’s attention to her sharp pointed ears that framed her face.  And what a beautiful face, many were the gasps from onlookers.  Had I not spent so much time in Anna’s presence, I to would have instantly fallen in love at the sight of her…?_         

I was really in a foul mood now.  Anna had sent Kiren on ahead while she had held back.  She seemed to be enjoying herself at the expense of those around her.  I no longer cared about hiding amidst this population there was so much wrong with these people.  The people did not place any value on the lives of their fellow man, they were just a commodity to be spent or discarded on a whim.  Taking deep breathes to calm myself, Anna interject a small barb. _“What did you expect my lord, these people are weak, they even prey on their own kind.  I understand the need for the Tree of Roses to make alliances with our neighbors for protection, but these people, why?”_ I did not want to admit it, but I agreed with her.  If the common folk turned a blind eye to what was going on around them, what hope did we have with those that ruled this land. 

“These people only seem to respect wealth and power, fine than, let us use this to our advantage.  If you would be so kind and cast (Maximized Glamour* & Fortress of Trust*) on us, we can discard these illusions and head toward the Guildhall, it is time to look like a princess, princess.”

_*Maximized Glamour vastly enhances a person natural charisma, both in physical appearance and interaction with others.  Fortress of Trust compels absolute trust in others, enhancing the morale and charisma of allies, and forcing anyone of hostile intent to be friendly and cordial in the bearer’s presence._

The roadway leading up to the Adventurers Guild was lined with stores and vendors that catered to would be adventures.  Of all the places we had visited so far this was by far the most crowded, people thronged here like a seething mass of humanity.  Cheaply made armor, weapons, and other common gear was everywhere.  And all of it was ephemeral to me.  Our very presence parted the crowd like a hot knife through butter.  No one dared to cross our path, and although the noise around us abated, I could hear whispers and rumors flying from person to person.  After this little show, the entire city will know of us.  I stepped up to get the door for Princess Annabelle.  A young man in his teens a copper-plate adventurer grabbed the door and held it wide for us.  Anna turned the full force of her charisma on him with a sincere thank you.  It was as if he melted on the spot, he held it together long enough for her to pass on in, before collapsing into a weeping pile emotion.   

As we gained entry, I noticed a remarkable difference between the adventurers.  There were fresh faced youngsters like Kiren and her friends.  What passed for grizzled veterans, with their well worn armor and gaudy looking gear.  Then there were elitist group gathered around the hearth.  Guilds are competitive by nature, as soon we entered everyone glanced our way.  Seeing Kiren’s copper-plate openly displayed, most people would just dismiss her, but I had no rank plate.  And I had the look and bearing of a veteran warrior.  I saw a lot of confused faces, but I also felt a small tickle of magic.  My guess was that someone had used some form of enhanced perception or divination magic.  For all my strengths and resistances I was weak towards non-combative magic.  Almost immediately I heard several people swearing under their breath.  This will be so much fun.

Quickly surveying the room, I picked out all those individuals that had the look of a bully or sell sword.  As the center of attention, I effortlessly activated the ability (Rank Assessment), instantly aware of just how capable each and everyone in the room were, sadly it was not impressive.  Whatever system was used to determine rank was flawed and inconsistent.  Spotting Kiren and the rest of Shadow’s Hand, I motioned for them to join us.  Their hesitation was understandable, for everyone who had been looking at me and Anna suddenly turned their attention to them.  With them in tow we moved to the front desk.  Two nearly stupefied clerks stuttered out a welcome and ask us our business.  I introduced us as Arthris Knight of the Roses and Lady Annabelle of the Roses.  My business was I wanted it to be recorded within the guild records the deeds of the Shadow’s Hand.  During their time within the Outlands they valiantly defended a woodland village from an attack by raiders.  I made sure that a particular note of bravery was recorded for Kiren in her dealing with an Ancient Red Dragon.  And after a brief stay within the Kingdom of Roses, acting as our guides to the Kingdom of Re-Estize and then here to E-Rantel. 

(I did not lie per se.  I just omitted potions of the complete truth.  Like the fact that most of them died in that raid, or that I was the red dragon that Kiren spoke with.)

With the paperwork concluded and assured that Shadow’s Hand would be promoted in rank, I turned to Kiren and her friends.  I pulled a large coin filled brown sack as if from nowhere, and dropped in the Alburn’s outstretched arms.  And with a loud voice so everyone could hear me, “For services rendered I award these adventures with this gift, 4000 gold pieces of the Kingdom of Roses.”  Suitably rewarded and equally stunned, I took the chance to move off to the side, and straight into trouble.

**_Kiren:_ **

_Oh my god, what just happened?  As soon as we left our table I knew something was going to happen.  But when Arthris starting talking to the clerk, spinning his tale of our supposed exploits, I want to jump in and set the record straight, but I could not find my voice.  Arthris spoke in such a commanding voice that no argument was even possible.  Just from what he spoke of was enough to promote someone to the veteran status of silver plate or maybe even gold plate.  But when he finished and turned to us, he gave us, oh my god, such treasure.  So much wealth, where was he keeping it?  I thought Alburn was going to collapse under its weight.  A person can survive comfortable on five copper coins a day.  In a single moment we had gone from penniless copper-plates to wealthy veterans.  We cheered, laughed, and hugged ourselves in happiness._

Step one was completed, after this little show of wealth, every rumormonger and adventurer within the city walls would know of us.  By the end of the day I would expect at least one or two formal invitations from some noble or another.  It was time for step two.  I had expected someone in the crowd to be a racial bigot, so when a pompous looking platinum ranked warrior in full plate stepped in front of me, and slandered Anna as a piece of chattel that should be used for the rutting of pigs.  I secretly smiled beneath my full face helm.

“Sir, you sully the honor of my lady with your words!  I demand satisfaction.”  My backhand across his face caught him off guard, I tried to be gentle(r).  Still he spits a tooth and a gobbet of blood.  My challenge accepted immediately, he would duel me here and now out on the street.  The exodus from the guildhall is astonishing; it was as if someone had opened a floodgate.  Kiren pulls at my arm and informs me that the warrior is Christophe a noble born scion, and the strongest swordsmen in all of E-Rantel, I nearly giggle at her comment.  Soon the street is clogged with people, not just adventurers from the guild; but merchants, guardsmen, even common citizenry have come to watch.  A large open area is encircled in the center of the crowd.  Since I don’t fully trust the word of this Christophe, I ask for the services of a guild mage to act as a mediator.  I hand the mage a (Magic Scroll of Binding) which will force a person to honor their word.  So with the mage in tow, I meet Christophe in the center of the circle.  He is very much a pompous fool.

 _“I do not recognize you or your supposed kingdom, so your honor means nothing to me.  But if I win this duel, that elf will be mine as a prize.  Maybe I will mount her head on my wall once I have had my sport with her.”_ What a bastard, fine two can play this game.  “I also do not recognize you or your supposed honor.  So I demand that you retract your slander of my lady and gift me the first thing that greets you upon your return to your home.  And to make sure you honor your word, this mage will help.  This is a (Scroll of Binding) its magic compels a person or person to honor their given word, or face an agonizing death.” 

Despite my use of a magical scroll he still smiles arrogantly.  His ego doesn’t allow for there to be anyone better than himself.  Moving apart towards the edges of the ring, I feel a twinge of magic nearby.  How cute, his friends are adding enhancement spells and statistical buffs.  I might as well act the part of a challenger.  So reaching into my inventory I remove one of my own potions and gulp it down.  And for a moment I am haloed in a golden aura of magical energy, a brief yet powerful cyclonic wind wraps around me.  Those nearby take several steps back from me, seeing several looks of fear, I say out of hand.  “It’s just a draught of Ambrosia – Nectar of the Gods.”  At this all those faces of fear are replaced by awe.  In reality Ambrosia is a rather showy mid-tier health potion, I chose it based on its theatrical elements over its statistical buffs.  Let us see how big of an ego I can pop with step two.  This is all about a show of power.  I pull my shield from my back and hand it over to Anna for this fight, then draw World-Breaker from its sheath.  I stand readied and relaxed, gently and with the utmost care I rest the tip of World-Breaker against the paving stones of the roadway.  There is a single clear tinkle of sound when obsidian meets the road.  A seismic ripple radiates out from me through the roadway.  It is as if someone had dropped a stone into a pond.  In this case the pond was the road.  Stone and earth ripples like water and many of the crowd shout in surprise at losing their footing.  Many adventurers gasped in shock, awe, and fear.

With the perfect look of disbelief on Christophe’s face I moved to engage him.  I thought before the fight that I would be generous and let him get a few hits in to start with.  I gave him exactly one.

_(Cleaving Blow)_

And he went right past me, and there was a clang of metal on metal.  That bastard, he had taken a shot at Anna, had it not been for my shield she would have taken the blow.  Fuck it; I am done with this little shit.

(Maximized Haste – Sandals of Hermes), (Starburst Slash – Rain of Ten Thousand Stars), (Sundering Strike – Armored Walls of Jericho).

To everyone around me I blurred into a series of after images just as Christophe turned to face me.  But I was moving so fast it was if everyone around me has frozen in place.  My slashing attack was targeted against his armor only, and combined with sundering strike, there would be nothing left.  Everyone in the crowd saw me blur into motion, and heard my blows strike plate mail.  In my accelerated state I landed all ten thousand blows in less than six seconds.  He probably felt like getting shot with a machine gun.  As I coalesced into a single solid image just behind him, as his armor rained from his body.  Each shard is smaller than my thumb nail.  Stinging welts cover his chest, back, and arms.  But I wasn’t done yet, I wanted his pride, I intended to harvest his tears.  (Blade Strike – Hundred Thousand Razors)  These strikes were delivered with precision intended to bleed my target and hinder them with small cuts.  Stripped, bruised, bleeding, and weakened, it was now time for the finishing blow.  Shouldering World-Breaker, I reach into my inventory, specifically my alchemic ingredients and withdraw a large bag of salt dust, which I open and then toss on this insufferable asshole.  Where once stood an overly proud warrior that was slowly recovering from my volley of blows now quivered a squealing mass of man-flesh.  Christophe was insensible his blood freely pooled about his feet, as it traced painful tracts across his white dust covered torso.     

Walking over to this squealing wretch of a man, I reached down and grabbed him by his hair.  Bring him up to my eye level, simply asked if he ceded the fight to me.  It was no surprise when he squeaked out his reply.  Step two was completed; people had witnessed a portion of the power we held.  Although the humbling of their champion in such a way would cause some elements of dissident to fester, many more beyond that would hear of this and respect the power that was show.

**End Chapter 13**


	14. Worst Case Scenario

**Chapter 14** – **Worst Case Scenario**

After the humbling of Christophe, we retreated back to the Iron Pig Inn.  Our presence within the city would be known by the end of the night.  While the possibility of retaliation existed, it was not a concern.  Kiren and her compatriots of Shadow’s Hand had joined me and Anna at the Iron Pig.  While they were still flush with excitement from their recent promotion and wealth, they were very confused as well.  Everyone wanted to know why.  I did not want to be malicious and tell them the truth that they were just a small cog with in my overall plan.  Instead I spoke of their trials and tribulations, and the grand adventure they had unwittingly been on the entire time they were in the Outlands.  I reasonably convinced them that what I had done was justified.  As for their reward, YGGDRASIL coins were larger than the currency of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, both in size and weight.  I expect that most money changers would agree that an exchange rate with the Kingdom of Roses would be on the scale of 3:1.  With this thinking a realization that they had more than ten thousand gold pieces to share amongst themselves caused they excitement to be renewed.  Kiren and the twins seemed to have been stunned into silence.  Unsurprisingly Zarola want to take her share and drink her night away.  Alburn flushed with gold, started on about all the people he could help, while noble in sentiment, I have seen how the people of the city view their poor.  Trying to impart some sense of veteran knowledge on him and the others, I told them to clear their debts, upgrade their equipment, and set a measure of their wealth aside for the future.  But in the end it was their choice to make.          

In the following weeks I purchased a collection of dilapidated warehouses on the edge of town.  They were located along the southern wall of the E-Rantel, nestled conveniently between the central market and the estates of other nobles and visiting dignitaries.  We were still staying at the Iron Pig Inn for the moment though.  Anna, hidden under her illusions of travel once again, continued to spend most of her time with Kiren and friends.  While I continued to maintain contact with the Tree of Roses for status updates from Jeanette on the efforts there and anything more on the Rosa situation.  There was helpful progress with the former, but a disappointing lack of news on the latter.  I kept Jeanette up to date on the continuing events since our arrival in E-Rantel.   As well as moving forward with other aspects of my plan, for the “Kingdom of Roses.”  I requested that she send me a contingent of craftsmen from OrChImEdEs360 Construction Company, as well as a single squad from the Golden Legion to act as guards for my new embassy that I was planning to build here.  With her assurances that they would arrive before morning, I bid her farewell.  I tried to banish the dark thoughts from my mind as well as the increasing worry I harbored for Rosa.  In the end I returned to my new property, to wait for my minions to arrive.

Construction of the Embassy of Roses took just under a month, given the size of the complex and number of buildings involved this amount of time was unheard of.  But what added to the growing myth surrounding the Tree of Roses was that no one ever saw anyone working on the structures.  It was as if each building was started one day and finished by the next sunrise.  The OrChImEdEs360 Construction Company was composed of various NPC monsters noted for their craftsmanship in YGGDRASIL as well as the natural ability to become invisible.  Beyond the central structure which was for all essential purpose a three story brownstone manor house, which would be the “face” of our diplomatic efforts, and residence for Anna and my changeling Diplomatic Corp. this would also serves as a barracks and armory for the Golden Legion security contingent. 

Early on I learned that the nobility of the kingdom had a certain way about getting things got done.  It seemed the universal denominator of my home world existed here as well.  Power is derived from wealth, and wealth denotes a person’s status within this society.  In those first few weeks, I used many items and trinkets that I had collected over the years.  Most were things that other players of YGGDRASIL would have considered junk or trash.  Outfits, furniture, even an ornate carriage drawn by magical horses.  With Anna’s help we decorated the exterior with golden statues (Golems) at the entrance, jeweled fountains in the gardens, and topiary bush animals (Pop-Monsters) scattered about.

A single gold piece from YGGDRASIL is roughly twice the size and weight of a Re-Estize gold piece.  As foreigners we paid with foreign currency let their moneylenders figure out an exchange rate.  Much of the YGGDRASIL furniture, wall art, and costumes were applied to the interior of the Embassy.  That which we did not already possess, we purchased locally.  We must have thrown the local economy into fit of activity with the influx of so much business.  Thanks to some forward thinking, I managed to setup a (Teleport – Gate) within one of the larger rooms, so that Jeanette could send regular updates as well as personal in the form of pop-monsters, workers, and members from the Diplomatic Corps.

As a snap decision I had our diplomatic compound fenced in.  Other than the manor house and gardens, I had several out buildings constructed as well.  One was a large windowless stone building a single entrance and exit marked the exterior.  This would serve as my temporary residence within the city, as well as a secure place for me to take true form and rest.  The others were all fake buildings of various size and outward design.  Houses, workshops, stable, and storage sheds.  They served no real purpose other than they were aesthetically pleasing to me.  Almost as soon as construction finished, curious merchants, adventurers, even tradesmen began arriving.  Anna and the Diplomatic Corp did a very good job a screening them from me, those that had relevant purpose like setting up trade relations I took audiences with.   

By the end of our second month in E-Rantel, we received our first Noble guest.  He was minor Baron and land holder from the eastern half of the kingdom.  Exceptionally pompous and long winded.  Anna played the part of a dignified royal and kept referring to me as Arthris the Red Lord.  It was a confusing title for an aristocrat to understand.  But when I informed him that I had the authority to make any decision in regards to the Kingdom of Roses, second only to its ruling lord.  He perked up real quick.  But despite his assurances that the lands he controlled produced exceptional resources, I brushed him aside stating that we had yet to even start formal relations with the Kingdom of Re-Estize.  It was around this time that the dreams started.  At first my only complete was waking up in the morning overly tired, what I remember from my dreams was a blurred mess of places I have never seen, and people that looked familiar but I could never place.  I brushed off Anna’s look of concern, making the excuse of that I would take better care of myself. 

Despite everything another bit a trouble showed up at our door in the form of Christophe and a young woman.  It turns out that Christophe is the first son of the powerful Moreland noble family within the Slane Theocracy, apparently members of the Adventurers Guild crosses national boundaries.  Upon he return home, much to his horror he was greeted by his younger sister.  Unwilling to lose the first born heir to a magical curse and equally unwilling to turn over their only daughter to some unknown warrior, the family petitioned the church of Six Great Gods, to dispel the magic.  Evidently that failed, because Christophe could no longer resist the compulsion of the (Scroll of Binding).  He had come to beg for forgiveness, and hoped that he could negotiate a way that he could keep his sister from this ignorable fate.  The girl and one of her maids waited in the foyer, as he spun his tale to me. 

Honestly, I did not need another ward underfoot.  I had sent the one I already had back to the Tree of Roses with orders that he be reintegrated into the people of the Outlands.  He had served his purpose as a patsy.  I had no more use for him.  But tell him as such would have damaged the myth that I had crafted around the Tree of Roses.  So to go through the motions, he presented her to me.  A sharp featured if plain young women of sixteen years she looked every bit like a formal princess.  There were distinct family traits that she shared with Christophe, they were clearly blood related.  Given her age and the society of this world she was well into her marriageable years, but there was no ring on her finger and Christophe had not mentioned a husband, odd.  As a more personal quirk I prefer to carry on conversations sitting at a table, it just feels more natural.

Accepting my offer to sit and join the conversation that will decide her fate her maid servant pulls out and offers the chair to her mistress.  My nose twitches.  I have not felt this very specific twitch in weeks.  I look at the maid more closely, just slightly shorter than Ms. Moreland, her pale features are a stark contrast to her mistresses tanned and weathered features.  She looks like any other human I have seen, but she has the most startling green eyes, Fey-Blooded, maybe?  I greet her in Sylvan the formal language of the Fey.  She is shocked and involuntary moves to cover her ears, speaking a hushed “no” in Elven, before her rigid discipline reasserts itself.  She is immediately cuffed and reprimanded by Ms. Moreland.  But now I am curious, and before anyone can react I reach out can move her hair away from her ears.  They are rounded, like a human, but there is something off about the structure of the ear.  Even more suspicious now, I activate my draconic ability of (True Sight), which allows me to see through disguises and illusions and see the true form of a creature.  It comes in handy when you work with changelings.  What I see, gives me pause.  I mentally (Message) Anna, and ask her to interrupt us, and I relay what I have discovered.

Promptly Anna, looking like the perfect example of Elf Nobility, interrupts us.  Their reactions speak volumes.  Christophe who has seen Anna before shows no outward reaction, his sister makes a very unladylike noise before turning inquisitive eyes to her indifferent brother.  The maid is visibly shocked.  I introduce Princess Annabelle, Second Princess of the Kingdom of Roses within the Outlands, and my aide.  My eyes are still glowing; I have not deactivated (True Sight). 

“Christophe, you are correct in that you should negotiate for your sister’s fate.  For her actions against her maidservant, I would have her whipped.  So we are going to talk very plainly and you will answer my questions, understood?”

Ms. Moreland pales at my words, but is still defiant, her brother just nods.

“What is this Elf’s name?”

“Lyn”

“And where did you acquire the services of Ms. Lyn?”

“My father purchased her two years ago at the market, but Mr. Arthris, she has had a good life in our household.  She is clothed, fed, and given shelter.  Even her job is easier given the labor generally reserved for her people.”

“What happened to her ears?”

“My Lord, please.”

“I can compel the answer from you, you know this right.”

“My, my sister was offended by their shape so we had them rounded.”

“How was it done?”

“Please Lord Arthris, I beg you.”

“Tell ME.”

“We used a knife to cut the top edge of the earlobe, than used a wooden form during the healing process to shape them into their current state.”

Lyn is softly weeping in the background, which I am sorry for the torture she had endured, I was pretty sure I could fix here damaged ears.

“I was wrong Christophe.  Your sister will not be whipped.  Rather, she will be whipped, then drawn and quartered, after which her stumps will be healed and what remains of her with be sent back to your family.”

Horror, abject and clear horror is etched on their faces.  Ms. Moreland has given up all pretense of defiance, and begins to beg and plead to be spared offering all manner of things in trade.  I let them stew for a minute, ignoring them both and going over to Lyn and Anna.

“Anna, could you please take Lyn out and see what you can do to help her.  I will finish up here and be with you in a moment.”

Overhearing this, the Moreland children become even more frantic with their pleading.

“Christophe, I will be straight with you here.  You have three choices; first you can formally hand your sister over to me for punishment for her crimes against Lyn, you can even wait to take her home afterwards, if you want.  (I am a bastard and I know it).  Second, you can get up and leave this embassy without another word spoken, and you will never see me again.  Or three, you can give me Lyn, and a solemn promise that neither of you will never grace my threshold or the territory of the Kingdom of Roses, ever again.”

They had their out and they took it. I can play the part of an intimidating evil monster real well, but I am not an evil by nature.

By the end of our third month I had met every lord and lady, prince and princess, even the king himself.  Like most royalty they were a self-serving bunch, very little had to do with the commoners.  Most only saw the chance for more wealth or to gain an advantage over their rivals.  Surprisingly very little actual progress was made.  We did manage to set the ground work for several trade treaties both with the Kingdom as a whole as well as several notable lords.  It seemed that success was more on the home front.  Under Jeanette’s supervision three communities of Outlanders had agreed to our terms and become fully fledged protectorates of the Tree of Roses.  Garrisons had been established at each and the construction of border forts and other defenses were well underway.  Commerce had resumed and money and materials began to flow into our coffers.  During our time in E-Rantel, the hunt for Rosa’s whereabouts had turned up no new information.  It was as if she had just disappeared, as a guild we knew she lived, but where was she?  Divination magic was not a strong suit in a warrior guild, and with none of my old friends from YGGDRASIL here to help, it started to seem hopeless.

Many of my day to day tasks, with in E-Rantel had been taken over Anna and the girls of the Diplomatic Corp.  I had seen very little of Shadow’s Hand recently, with their new celebrity status, they had been feasted around the kingdom, as well as taken on several high profile quests.  But with the reduction in my daily workload, I was still nearly feverish with stress concerning my lost Rosa.  Three months, despite all the power that the Tree of Roses could bring to bear, there had still been zero progress in finding her.  I no longer considered the notion that she was just blowing off steam, something had happened to her, something bad.  At night as I lay on my bed of gold, I stressed over this fact more than any other.  I knew that Jeanette and her trackers were the best.  Jeanette herself was a Rank 100, more than half of which was sunk into ranger or ranger-like derivatives.  The fact that someone had absconded with Rosa, and evaded all of our searches so far, worried me greatly.

It was at this point that the dream returned.  But they were so much worse than before.  I still required sleep, so in my downtime I slept in my Dragon form.  But my nights were not restful.  At first it was just indistinct images or sounds.  People I have never seen before but I woke up feeling like I recognized them.  Or strange places that were completely foreign to me.  As a quirk, maybe on some subconscious level I awoke every morning in my human form, just another mystery of this world I had yet to understand.  It was November now.  I had instituted a Gregorian calendar system in this world based on when it was I had first arrived in this world.  Like my world, the weather was getting colder, and the seasons had made the gradual change through fall.

E-Rantel was like any major feudal city from history.  The closer to winter people began to stockpile resources for the hard winter months.  And as with all major cities there were still elements of undesirables within its walls.  Despite such a heavy concentration of guardsmen, and adventurers, a serial killer had started to walk the back alleys and dark places within the city.  At first no one had known there had even been a killer about.  There was no way to know how many of the poor and unprivileged had been killed.  This seemed to offend this killer in some way, for it was only after they started displaying their victims in public places that people took notice.  Rumor was that many of the known underworld villains had been among the first victims.  When these had either gone missing during the night, or fled E-Rantel out of fear of this predator, things accelerated.  Authorities began to take notice when a member of the city guard was found flayed and suspended from the wall of the Dukes own keep.  Word around town was that the guard was taking protection money from people in the poorer districts.  Each morning E-Rantel woke too some new and grisly discovery.  Rumors began of a red-eyed monster stalking the corrupt and evil that made E-Rantel home.  Each morning I would wake to Anna’s report on this subject and others.  As an interesting side effect, E-Rantel had become a much more peaceful city, though ruled now by fear of the red-eyed demon, rather than the benevolent rule of the Duke.  Considering all of the red-eyed demons victims were either criminals or the corrupt that preyed on the weak, I had no problem with them.  I did not agree with their methods, but I couldn’t fault their results.

Thanksgiving was fast approaching, and the Tree of Roses always celebrated holiday events, despite the fact that I was the only member of the guild in this world.  I still intended to celebrate my favorite holiday.  Anna maybe expecting my intention had planned out a very special event for me.  She had invited everyone, many of the floor guardians that could be spared as well as members of the Shadow’s Hand, even a few local nobles that we deemed advantageous to us.  Jeanette had begged off in attending, citing work within the Tree of Roses, as her excuse.  I was looking forward to the day, and the food, oh and the pie…       

**_Rosa:_ **

_I am belonging to the master of this house.  I am a good elf girl; I have to listen very carefully.  And follow my master’s instruction very carefully.  If I do not they will punish me with the screaming again.  I can hear voices in my head still from the last screaming.  So much so it makes me cry at night as I sleep at the foot of my master’s bed.  I am a good elf girl; I’ve learned not to break the master’s stuff, because he will hit me if I do.  I have to listen very hard, because my ears are long and pointed and it makes it hard to hear properly.  My master whips me very hard, for I was a bad little elf girl.  He said I needed to be reminded of what happened on the boat.  I screamed at the thought and cried all night.  The boat is a bad place that is where the screams come from.  Maybe if this little elf girl is good she will earn the right to wear clothing like everyone else.  She has to be a good elf girl, because when the young master is old enough she will be his coming of age gift.  I am a good elf girl…_

_Excellent, this elf princess was a hard one to break.  And after that mess on the ship it is worth it.  I didn’t know if we would be able to make up for the losses.  But the weapons and armor she had on her as well as some of her other items, had paid for everything even the next expedition into the outlands.  Her training as a personal body slave is progressing as well.  And there has already been some tentative interest in her.  We may have broken her mind, but she still acts out at inopportune times.  Around this time next year she will be ready for the auction blocks, either that or as meat for the dogs.  One way or the other he was going to get his money’s worth from her._

**End Chapter 14**


End file.
